Rising Storm, Book One: Refuge
by Something To Say
Summary: Storm and Night were born as loners in the city. They never knew what life would be like living in the forest. Until one day they meet a Clan cat. Their lives are forever changed when they are accepted by the Clan. Rated T for safety. Please read and review, comments appreciated!
1. One: Storm

**Allegiances**

 _ **ForestClan**_

Leader: Leafstar - dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, white muzzle and white paws

Deputy: Ravenflight - black she-cat with dark green eyes  
Apprentice: Cricketpaw

Medicine Cat: Sagetail - brown and white tom with amber eyes

Warriors:

Mintspot - spotted gray tom with amber eyes

Harestep - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Willowpaw

Petalwind - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Prickletail - dark gray, almost black she-cat with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Jaypaw

Bouncefoot - black and white tom with amber eyes

Ryewhisker - creamy brown tom with dark blue eyes  
Apprentice: Dustpaw

Furzepelt - dark brown tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:

Willowpaw - light gray she-cat with blue eyes

Jaypaw - gray and white tom with amber eyes

Dustpaw - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes, white tail-tip and ears

Cricketpaw - brown and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Queens:

Fallowtail - pretty light ginger she-cat with green eyes; expecting

Elders:

Greentail - dark orange tom with piercing green eyes

Tinywing - small white she-cat with light blue eyes; partially blind in her left eye

 _ **CreekClan**_

Leader: Pebblestar - mottled dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Rippletail - dark gray tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Honeywing - dark golden she-cat with green eyes

Warriors:

Dewleaf - silvery gray she-cat with dark blue eyes  
Apprentice: Sandpaw

Frogleap - long-legged dark tabby tom with yellow eyes

Swallowshine - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Crowtalon - black tom with dark yellow eyes  
Apprentice: Hawkpaw

Cinderclaw - gray and black tom with yellow eyes

Lilytail - white she-cat with ginger-tipped ears, paws and tail  
Apprentice: Scorchpaw

Snailpool - creamy ginger she-cat with green eyes

Apprentices:

Hawkpaw - light gray tom with yellow eyes

Scorchpaw - darker gray tom with amber eyes

Sandpaw - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes

Queens:

Roseheart - smoky gray she-cat with bright blue eyes, mother of Cloudkit, Graykit and Dawnkit by Frogleap

Elders:

Fleetfur - sleek tabby tom with amber eyes

 _ **BoulderClan**_

Leader: Sparrowstar - light gray she-cat with amber eyes

Deputy: Rockstorm - handsome dark black tom with piercing yellow eyes

Medicine Cat: Embertail - black tom with patches of brown mixed in his fur

Warriors:

Spidercloud - gray, black and brown she-cat with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Amberpaw

Pinewhisker - dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes  
Apprentice: Seapaw

Eaglefeather - dark brown and white tom with amber eyes

Softbreeze - light gray she-cat with amber eyes

Quickpelt - small gray and white tom with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Gingerpaw

Poppyflower - tortoiseshell dark-furred she-cat with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Shadowpaw

Thornfur - golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:

Seapaw - pretty silver she-cat with amber eyes

Shadowpaw - dark black tom with amber eyes

Amberpaw - light ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Gingerpaw - ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Queens:

Springbrook - dark brown and white she-cat with amber eyes; a splitting image of Eaglefeather; expecting

Elders:

(Currently none listed)

 _ **Cats Outside Clans**_

Striker - large dark black tom with green eyes; rogue

Olive - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes; rogue

Maru - sleek creamy white tom with amber eyes; kittypet

Tango - dark brown she-cat with amber eyes; rogue

Robin - small dark gray tom with yellow eyes; kittypet

Storm - dark gray tom with amber eyes; loner

Night - black she-cat with green eyes (Storm's sister); loner

 **Clan Info:**

 **ForestClan territory is surrounded by trees, if their name didn't give it away. They share a border with Twolegplace and CreekClan; a band of streams run along the edge of their border**

 **CreekClan shares a border with ForestClan and BoulderClan. The border along BoulderClan is protected by a quarry of boulders and a large river that is almost impossible to cross during newleaf.**

 **BoulderClan shares a border with CreekClan. They live up on the rocky slopes that surround both the forest and CreekClan's territory. They are experts at crossing boulders and have hard paw pads that help them survive in harsh conditions.**

 **In the center of the forest lies three large oak trees where the Gatherings are held. This is known as the Great Three to those familiar with the Clans, for more reasons than one. And just beyond the quarry is a cave where dreams are shared with StarClan, it is known as the MoonCave.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1 - Storm**

His eyes blinked open as he surveyed his surroundings. Boxes of all sizes surrounded him. Storm stretched and arched his back as he tried regaining his senses. From here on he and his sister, Night, had been struggling to survive in Twolegplace.

They didn't know what it was like to live in luxury. As kits they were abandoned when they were weaned by their mother. Storm had learned how to fend for himself, but Night wasn't so lucky. He'd learned to hunt for her as well when it was needed.

"Hey Storm, what are you doing?" Night blinked her eyes open when she saw him starting to leave. He left their protected den early every morning. He found himself occupied with keeping rogues and other loners from finding them. And so far his mission had been less than successful.

"I'm just going out for a hunt," he lied in a blunt tone. Night simply tilted her head to one side, not quite sure what to say to that.

Once Storm was outside he found his muscles tense with every movement. Rogues were constantly a threat to them. One rogue in particular had chilled Storm to the bone. His name was Striker. He was infamous for taking on any challenger he could find. Once the challenger was defeated they were left with a mark for the rest of their lives. To make matters worse, Striker would force the challenger to join his group. Storm couldn't help but shudder at the thought.

 _I'm perfectly happy to just survive out here_ , he thought.

Unfortunately for Storm, he wasn't about to get his wish. His ears pricked forward in alarm when he heard an all-too-familiar sound. A dog was barking, and Storm could pick up that familiar stench that followed. His fur bristled with fear as he tried looking for an escape route.

The dog was charging in his direction. Storm's tail lashed as he braced himself for a fight. He closed his eyes until he heard the dog whimpering as a cat screeched in fury. Storm opened his eye and found a light gray she-cat lashing out at the dog, screeching and hissing with outrage.

"Are you insane? Get away from that thing!" Storm nearly yowled as the dog tossed her away. The she-cat ignored his order and sprang back to her paws, hissing in frustration as she spat out blood from her mouth.

Storm could only watch in amazement as she suddenly lunged forward again. Either this cat was really stupid, or she loved to fight. If she survived maybe she could teach him some of the moves she was performing. She jumped onto the dog's shoulders and suddenly started digging her claws into it's back. It let out a howl of pain and suddenly reared on it's hind legs, throwing the she-cat off. Her body landed on the ground in a sickening thud, making Storm flinch in response.

The dog whipped around and trotted towards the now stunned she-cat. She landed right into a trash can, and Storm couldn't help but wince at the dent she'd left. Without giving his own safety a second thought, he charged after the dog before it could make a final blow.

He latched his teeth around the dog's long tail and struggled to hold on as it tried shaking him off. When it finally managed to try and bite it's own tail, Storm jumped off just in time. He landed easily on his paws and started lashing out at the dog when it tried facing him again.

"Go away you fox-hearted coward!" he screeched as he scored a deep mark along it's muzzle.

At last the dog had finally stopped attacking. Relief washed over Storm's shoulders as it limped away, whimpering in pain. He knew that if the she-cat hadn't worn it out, he would have been crowfood. His heartbeat raced at the thought of the she-cat.

She was still unconscious after the dog had thrown her off. Storm bounded over to her side and saw that her flank was still rising and falling. He held back sigh of relief and noticed the small scratch marks on her neck. Whatever happened to her occurred quite some time ago.

"Is he gone?" Her eyes quickly shot open as she looked at him. Storm was taken aback by them. They were blue, almost like the sky on a clear day. He tilted his head to one side when he noticed the muscles showing underneath her pelt for the first time.

"Yeah, that mangy furball won't be showing his face around here anytime soon," he purred. "I'm glad you showed up when you did, I don't think I could have survived." The she-cat simply rolled her eyes and struggled to her paws, only to collapse under their weight. "You're hurt!" he gasped in alarm as she struggled once more.

"Of course I'm not hurt, mousebrain," she snapped. "My paws are just aching from that run."

"Well, at least let me help you," he offered after staring at her in disbelief. She had a lot of pride considering she was a she-cat. Night was never this snippy around him. "I have a den nearby you can rest in."

The she-cay only shrugged him off and glared back.

"I _don't_ need your help!" she spat. "I just need some rest is all."

 _Are all she-cats this stubborn_? Storm thought with a roll of his eyes. Then an idea suddenly sprang to his mind. It was a trick his mother had used when he was just a kit to go back into the den. He wasn't sure if she would fall for it, but it was worth a try.

"You know, I'm almost afraid to go back to my nest on my own," he meowed, letting out a small whimpering noise. "What if that dog comes back with friends? Or if someone decides to attack me again?"

This time the she-cat glared at him as if she was ready to snap again. Then she let out a sigh of frustration and struggled back to her paws. She almost lurched over again when he rushed in to help her, only to be shoved aside by her once more.

"Alright, fine. Where's your den?" she muttered crossly.

"It's just beyond those boxes," he explained, flicking his tail towards the alley where he and Night slept.

Storm held back a knowing smirk as he followed the limping she-cat. At least she could rest in their den while recovering. Maybe he could get to know her better too. After all she had saved his life, and he owed her that much. Hopefully in time they could even be friends, if she would trust him.

...

"This is your den?" The she-cat blinked as she looked around and took everything in. Night was standing beside Storm as she stepped onto the blanket they had found a few days ago. It had a strange smell on it, but that didn't stop them from making it their nests.

"Yep, and this is my sister, Night," Storm introduced his sister to the she-cat. "My name's Storm by the way," he quickly added after realizing he hadn't introduced himself.

"I'm Willowpaw," the she-cat replied. Storm blinked at the strange name. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing when she realized they were staring at her.

Storm let out a cough when Night nudged him. "Erm, I was just wondering why you have that kind of a name," he explained sheepishly.

"Oh... well, I'm from a Clan," Willowpaw meowed. The pride in her voice made Storm almost roll his eyes. Clearly she enjoyed bragging about it. "And my Clan is clearly the best; I was scouting the border when I heard that dog attacking you. I couldn't just sit by and let it hurt another cat."

"Will you get in trouble for being away?" Night asked, her eyes wide with what Storm thought was panic.

Willowpaw looked down at her paws for a moment. Storm was afraid his sister might have offended her. But when she looked up again her eyes were narrowed thoughtfully.

"I think they'll find my explanation a good excuse for my absence," she replied. "I should be heading back though."

She tried getting back to her paws again, only to grunt in pain and lurch forward once more. Storm was ready to rush over and offer help when he remembered the way she had treated him. If this she-cat was stubborn enough to wander away on injured paws, maybe he should let her.

"Perhaps we should go with you, just in case," Night offered, beating Storm to his thoughts.

He looked at his sister suspiciously. She was never one to stray far from their nest. Even as a kit she barely wandered a few mouselengths from their mother. Seeing her now made him realize just how much she had grown up.

"I don't need your protection!" Willowpaw snapped. Her eyes softened when she saw how worried Night looked. The tension from earlier seemed to fade as her shoulders relaxed. "Although, maybe having company on the way back wouldn't be such a bad idea," she added quietly.

Amusement washed over Storm as he watched Night pad alongside Willowpaw. Only his sister knew how to worm her way into a cold heart like Willowpaw's. Maybe she acted this way because she didn't want anyone to know she was weak. Either way, Storm knew that he couldn't stand spending time with a stubborn cat like her for much longer.

* * *

 **AN: So this is my third attempt at starting a story. I'm not sure where I'll be going with this. Or if anyone will bother reviewing. But I will say that I want to keep writing, especially longer chapters like this one. So if anyone is interested than please let me know what you thought of it. I'd love to hear some feedback.**


	2. Two: ForestClan

**Chapter 2 - ForestClan**

Along the journey into the forest, Willowpaw seemed to relax more and more. She told them about the forest and where she had grown up. She even told them about her Clan, which was known as ForestClan. Apparently they were proud and spirited cats, who more than often refused to accept help when it was offered to them. That would explain why she had refused Storm's help when he had offered it to her.

His eyes took in everything they could. Tall trees surrounded them; their gnarled looking trunks looked as though they'd been clawed at. Leaves covered the ground along with a carpet of ferns. The musky scent that filled his nose was nothing compared to the city. He was almost elated with how free and wild everything looked.

"... share a border with CreekClan. They aren't as bad as BoulderClan," Willowpaw finished meowing. Storm looked at her in surprise. There were more than one Clan? He wondered for a moment just how many there were. "I guess this is where I leave you. My Clan wouldn't appreciate me bring in a couple of outsiders."

"No, we wouldn't." Willowpaw stiffened at the new voice. Her eyes widened with panic as she looked at the cat standing in front of them. Storm bristled and pressed himself protectively against Night, who gaped at the tom. It was a huge light brown tabby tom, with powerful muscles rippling beneath his pelt. He glared down at Willowpaw as she crouched down before him. "Would you care to explain why you didn't return until dusk?"

"I would have gotten back sooner if these two hadn't kept me," Willowpaw explained, flicking her tail at Storm and Night. The two of them only glared at her in response.

"That's enough, Willowpaw. I'll escort you back to camp. You two better leave before a patrol decides to rip you apart," he snarled at Storm and Night.

The two of them stayed where they were as the larger tom led Willowpaw away. Storm watched for a few heartbeats as they padded away deeper into the forest. What would he gain by following them? These cats clearly didn't like trespassers.

"I'm going after them," Night suddenly whispered.

Before Storm could figure out what she meant by that, Night bounded ahead. His heart nearly skipped a beat as he raced after her. More unusual scents filled his lungs, this time stronger then the musky leaf smell. His fur bristled with unease as he bounded alongside her.

"Are you mousebrained?" he demanded. "Do you want us to get killed?" Night only shook her head defensively.

"I don't think they're going to kill us," she replied. "That cat could have easily killed us if he wanted to. Besides, don't you want to see what it's like being in a Clan?"

Storm thought of what she had said. It made sense, in a way. His mind was whirling with terror and excitement. The Clan Willowpaw had described sounded strong and formidable. If they decided to attack the two of them would be killed without hesitation.

Was the risk worth it? As he looked at his sister he saw hope gleaming in her eyes for the first time in days. Ever since their mother had left them, Night had been different. It was like she had lost all hope for the future. Now however that attitude seemed to change the moment she met Willowpaw.

Finally they had reached the path where the tabby had disappeared into. It was surrounded by a tunnel of thorns and bramble. Storm's ears flattened when he saw an opening in front of them. It seemed to be the only way in, and the only way out.

Night flattened herself against the ground and crawled through the small opening. As she did so Storm was ready to pull her back. The back of his mind was screaming at him not to go in. That once they entered this tunnel there was no way of leaving.

He shook his head at the thought and followed her. Thorns snared his pelt the moment he dropped down and crawled under. Annoyance flared within him as he continued through the confusing maze. A path of freshly downed dirt told him that this tunnel was regularly used by these cats.

By the time he reached the other side he saw that Night was surrounded by strangers. All of them were broad-shouldered and muscular, like the tabby they met earlier. Storm felt his hackles rise when he realized they were glaring at the trespassers.

"And just what makes you think you can trot into our camp without a care?" a dark gray, almost black she-cat hissed. Her fur was spiky and unkempt. Storm noticed that a scar showed over her right eye, and she looked like she could easily kill them if she wanted to.

"All rogues and loners are alike. They think they own everything," an older looking spotted gray tom spat.

Storm found himself feeling overwhelmed by so many unfamiliar faces. It reminded him too much of Twolegplace. Rogues would sometimes gather and hold meetings, and at one point they had been invited to one of those meetings. Storm couldn't stand being surrounded by a large crowd like that.

"They're shaking with fear," a smaller, younger looking brown and white she-cat murmured to her partner, a light brown tabby tom. He nodded in agreement and glared at Storm and Night.

"That's enough!" A yowl sounded, stopping all of the cats in their tracks. "Harestep has already informed me that Willowpaw was brought back safely to the forest by two loners." Storm blinked in amazement as an elegant looking dark brown tabby she-cat pushed her way through the crowd. She had white paws and a white muzzle, and was just as muscular as the toms Storm had seen around here. "I assume that you two are the loners he spoke of?"

Night took a step forward and boldly raised her chin, jostling several of the cats in the process. "Yes, we are," she replied. "Willowpaw told us about the Clan and everything you do. We were hoping that you would accept us as... new members."

Shock rippled through the crowd. Storm blinked in amazement at his sister's bold behavior. He knew that these cats could just kill them for suggesting such a thing. But the tabby seemed to hesitate for a moment, obviously taken aback by Night's response.

"Why should we let a couple of loners join our Clan?" a black and white tom demanded. "What use would they have?" The dark brown tabby ignored him and studied the two of them thoughtfully.

"How old are you?" she asked, her voice more gentle than before.

 _Are they really considering letting us join_? Storm looked at her in disbelief. Night looked like she was ready to burst with happiness, but she restrained herself from doing so.

"Seven moons," Storm mewed in a defensive tone.

"They would be around the age of an apprentice," a black she-cat with dark green eyes murmured. "Leafstar, perhaps we should consider it. You know what leafbare has done to our Clan, and I am certain we aren't the only ones who suffered."

The dark brown tabby who must be Leafstar closed her eyes, and sadness suddenly showed when they opened again. Storm tilted his head to one side as he noticed for the first time how thin everyone was. Back in Twolegplace prey was always scarce. They would always have to rely on either Twolegs providing food for them, or finding crowfood on the streets.

"Leafbare took a heavy blow on our Clan," she meowed. "I do not believe these two would survive the next one."

"Is it really that hard to survive?" Night asked, her eyes wide with something other than fear.

"Yes, just last moon we lost one of our bravest warriors; Graystorm should not have died the way he did," Leafstar explained. "I would like to speak with my senior warriors about this. We must discuss whether or not accepting you is a wise decision."

Hope gleamed within Night's eyes as Leafstar gathered a few cats along with the black she-cat into a hollowed out tree. Storm looked around and took in the 'camp' for the first time.

Everything was so different from Twolegplace. He could make out patches of thick grass where he saw a head peaking out. A smaller den that looked well protected was close to the long grass. Then there was another den that looked like it was woven out of brambles and vine-like material.

"So _you're_ the loners Willowpaw talked about." Storm nearly leaped out of his fur when someone spoke to him. "Sorry, I shouldn't sneak up on you like that," the she-cat added. Storm blinked at the brown and white tabby from earlier. "You really were scared earlier, weren't you?"

"I was, and I still am," he admitted guiltily.

"Don't take it personally," the tabby purred in amusement. "It just takes time to get used to all the different scents, and the crowd."

"Did you grow up here?" Storm asked, fascinated with how friendly this cat was compared to Willowpaw.

"Yep... though truthfully I only just became an apprentice a couple of days ago. We'll be training together," she replied. "That is if you're accepted," she quickly added when she realized what she had said.

Storm blinked once again and looked at the hollowed tree where Leafstar and her cats had disappeared to. What Night had said before was true. Living in a Clan could provide them with the protection they needed. And it would be good to learn of another way to survive.

"How long does it usually take to become a... what are those older cats called again?" he couldn't help but ask. The brown and white tabby simply purred in response to his confusion.

"They're called warriors, and I'm an apprentice. My name's Cricketpaw by the way." She paused as she thought of how to explain the training process. "Usually it takes more than a few moons for anyone to become an apprentice. But for ForestClan we have an initiation to pass in order to become warriors. In order to pass you have to travel through the network of caves near BoulderClan territory, and come back alive."

He shuddered at the thought. It sounded terrifying going through a cave of darkness just to become a warrior.

"Don't listen to this mousebrain." Cricketpaw rolled her eyes when a gray and white tom joined in. "All you have to do is pass an assessment; the tunnels were used long ago, but they were banned because of how many cats died in there."

Storm nodded, though the tom's response didn't help ease the anxiety gnawing at his belly. A few more minutes had dragged on before Leafstar finally emerged from the hollowed tree. Storm and Night looked at her in anticipation as she jumped onto a low-lying branch nearby.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the lowbranch for a Clan meeting!" Her yowl stretched across the clearing, and cats of all ages began gathering underneath her at the sound of her voice. Storm didn't miss the fact that her voice had a tone of authority in it. He'd already guessed that she was their leader. "I know that many of you have already met the newcomers earlier," she began. "But my senior warriors and I have decided to accept them as our new Clanmates."

Almost at once yowls of disagreement followed her words. Storm's ears flattened while Night pressed herself against him. He had a feeling that these cats were going to turn them down, no matter what Leafstar said.

"Those two would make a mockery of our Clan!" The dark gray she-cat from earlier sprang to her paws and yowled those words. Others nodded in agreement, while Leafstar sat back and waited for silence to follow.

"That's enough, Prickletail," Leafstar snapped. "I understand that accepting loners is not part of Clan tradition. But we must accept that our Clan has suffered during leafbare. Letting these two join our Clan will give us an upper paw in battle, and in the Clan."

Battle? That made Storm's fur bristle slightly. It wasn't something he had asked for. But seeing the look on Night's face told him she was more than keen on fighting. He'd never seen her look so eager before.

"You would admit that we are weak? You're pathetic; Sootstar was a far better leader than you ever will be!" Cricketpaw gasped when a dark brown tom with amber eyes spat those words. He turned his back on Leafstar as she glared at him.

"The ceremony shall continue, unless anyone else would like to interject." Leafstar's eyes stretched across the Clan; all of them were exchanging looks that told Storm they wanted nothing to do with loners. "Very well. What are your names?" She looked back at Storm and Night seriously once more.

"I'm Storm," he replied as he raised his chin slightly. He wasn't going to show fear in front of the leader, even though inside his stomach was churning with anxiety.

"And I'm Night," his sister put in with equal pride.

"Storm, from this moment on until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Stormpaw. Mintspot, you are ready for an apprentice. You are one of my loyal warriors, and I expect you to pass on your loyalty and knowledge to Stormpaw."

Stormpaw didn't miss the look of annoyance flashing in Prickletail's eyes at the mention of loyalty. He stayed where he was when Mintspot stepped out of the crowd.

"You're supposed to touch noses with them," Cricketpaw warned him in a whisper.

Embarrassment washed over Stormpaw almost at once. Immediately he leaned forward until he was touching noses with Mintspot like Cricketpaw had instructed.

"Night, from this moment on until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw. Petalwind, you are a kind and spirited warrior. I expect you to teach what you have learned to Nightpaw."

Nightpaw's eyes showed excitement as she touched noses with Petalwind. The pale ginger she-cat seemed just as happy to have Nightpaw as an apprentice. Stormpaw was grateful for that; he didn't want someone like that dark brown tom mentoring his sister.

 _He clearly has something against Leafstar_ , he thought.

"Now that you're apprentices, we can show you the apprentice's den," Cricketpaw meowed, her eyes gleaming as she bounced to her paws.

"Where's Willowpaw?" Nightpaw asked warily as they were led to a log that was covered in ivy.

"She's in the medicine cat's den right now," the light brown tabby tom replied. "She looked pretty hurt when she came back; I'm surprised Sagetail didn't flay her for wasting his herbs."

"Sagetail?" Stormpaw frowned as he heard so many different new names. It was beginning to get confusing. How would he remember all of them?

"Sagetail's the medicine cat, and Leafstar's brother," Cricketpaw explained when she noticed Stormpaw's confusion. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of remembering their names in time."

He sure hoped so. Otherwise he might never feel accepted into the Clan.

Cricketpaw and the light brown tabby had led them into a smaller den that was protected by the ivy vines. Stormpaw gaped when he saw a few nests circling the area. Cricketpaw padded forward and stopped in front of one of the older looking nests.

"You two can sleep here; this is where Ryewhisker and Furzepelt slept," she meowed. "Furzepelt's the one who spoke out, by the way. I bet Leafstar isn't going to be happy though with the way her son acted."

 _He's her son_? Stormpaw's eyes widened at the thought. How could someone as arrogant as that be related to someone like Leafstar? Then again Stormpaw barely knew her. He couldn't just judge someone because of the way they had acted.

"Sleep well, tomorrow you begin your training," the light brown tabby told them.

Stormpaw curled up in a dried up old nest beside his sister. Exhaustion had crept over his shoulders as he closed his eyes. Once he had he fell asleep, for once grateful to have a soft nest to sleep in.

* * *

 **AN: Wow, I wasn't expecting to get two reviews already! :D Thanks everyone, I appreciate it! Though updating this early means no one is likely going to see or review this chapter. Either way I'm just glad that people are enjoying this :)**

 **windflight13 - Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it :D**

 **BewareTheShadows - Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it :D This story is definitely going to be fun to write ;)**


	3. Three: The Forest

**Chapter 3 - The Forest**

A paw jabbed at Stormpaw's side, jostling him awake. His eyes narrowed as he found himself in an unfamiliar den. For a moment he reached out and struck at an invisible target. Then he realized too late that his target happened to be Cricketpaw.

"Did you forget where you were?" she asked with a hint of amusement in her eyes. Embarrassment washed over Stormpaw when he realized that he did. Cricketpaw simply purred and flicked her tail over his shoulder. "The sun is just rising up; Mintspot won't be happy if you keep him waiting."

Stormpaw held back a groan and rolled over to his belly. He saw that Nightpaw was already awake, but Willowpaw had returned to the den with something shiny wrapped around her paws. Stormpaw narrowed his eyes at her paws before stretching out his back.

"Does everyone in the Clan get up early?" he muttered crossly, still feeling half asleep.

"Of course," Cricketpaw replied as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "Everyone has to play their part in the Clan, especially the apprentices. I'm sure a good morning run through the forest will wake you up."

He padded out of the den once he was more awake. Cricketpaw padded after him, her tail swinging from side to side as she joined Nightpaw beside a pile of what looked like old prey. Stormpaw's nose wrinkled for a moment as he looked down at it.

"Stormpaw, you have to try this mouse!" Nightpaw purred, pushing a scrawny looking a mouse towards him.

Stormpaw narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the mouse. Back in Twolegplace they never had prey like this unless another loner was kind to them. And that didn't happen often. He leaned down and sniffed the mouse warily before taking a bite. His eyes widened when he tasted fresh-kill for the first time. Both Nightpaw and Cricketpaw purred at his reaction as he finished the mouse in a couple of bites.

"That was amazing," he gasped after swallowing the last bite. "You get to eat these all the time?"

"Well, prey is more scarce during leafbare," Cricketpaw admitted. "But during newleaf and greenleaf, we always have the best prey in the whole forest. That's why the Clans always compete with us; they want our territory so they can survive."

He nodded in understanding and started to groom his whiskers until he was approached by Mintspot again. Petalwind was standing beside the spotted gray tom, and she eyed Nightpaw warily. Stormpaw watched the two for a moment, and he was afraid Petalwind might try and hurt his sister.

"Today we'll be exploring the territory," Mintspot explained. "It's time you two learned what life is _really_ like in the Clan." Stormpaw spotted Furzepelt glaring at them from nearby when Mintspot had said that. His ears flattened at the tom's look of annoyance.

 _Is he always that cranky, or is it just us_? Stormpaw wondered, exchanging a look with Nightpaw.

Mintspot ignored the look and led the way through the thorn tunnel entrance. Stormpaw followed suit, hissing once again as another thorn snared his pelt. He hated the way it brushed against his fur. There had to be an easier way through it. Nightpaw's purr of laughter told him that she had seen everything. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes and continued on his way.

Once they were in the forest, Stormpaw's senses went into overdrive. Again he picked up the musky odor coming from the rotting leaves and ferns. But there were other scents mixed in. His ears swiveled back and forth as he heard the rustling of leaves from above. Stormpaw looked around and thought he could see something hiding in the undergrowth nearby.

"Keep moving, you'll full behind," Petalwind warned him.

Stormpaw blinked and realized that she was right. Mintspot was charging ahead with both Petalwind and Nightpaw bounding after him. Frustration swelled within Stormpaw as he bounded after them. He wasn't used to running like this all the time. It took a while to get used to running on the soft ground; he didn't notice until now that the leaves were slowing him down.

Mintspot didn't stop until they had reached what looked like a quarry of boulders that stretched before them. Stormpaw was gasping for air by the time he reached them. He didn't miss the fact that his sister was having just as difficult as a time. But Nightpaw held her head high despite losing her breath during the run.

"This is the border between BoulderClan and ForestClan," Mintspot told them. "Tell me, what can you smell?"

His question made Stormpaw pause and open his mouth to taste the air. Sure enough he did pick up something strange. It was a pungent smell that made his fur bristle slightly. Petalwind purred in amusement when she noticed how nervous Stormpaw looked.

"What is that scent?" asked Nightpaw as she picked up the same scent.

"That is BoulderClan," Petalwind replied. "Normally the boulders are filled with water during newleaf. But we haven't had rain in a while. I'm quite certain by greenleaf there will be a river here, so crossing is almost impossible."

He remembered Cricketpaw explaining that to them. BoulderClan cats were known for being aggressive. She had said that more than once they tried taking ForestClan territory. But as usual ForestClan always won every battle against them.

"There's a patrol now," Mintspot meowed in a warning tone. Stormpaw stiffened as he followed Mintspot's gaze. It was hard to pinpoint exactly where they were. These cats must have blended in well with their territory.

Stormpaw watched as a light gray she-cat bounded easily across the boulders. She made it look so easy that his fur bristled at the sight.

"Don't get any closer, or we'll flay you!" Petalwind spat at the she-cat. She paused mid-jump and stared at Petalwind and Mintspot.

"I wasn't planning on it," she replied. "I was just checking to see when the river would form again."

His eyes narrowed when she said that. Something told him that she was lying. She could have said anything else to make it more believable. But now he had a feeling that she had been scouting the border's edge.

She turned away as tension began to build between them. Mintspot had taken a threatening step forward, his hackles rising slightly. Once she was gone they relaxed a little more. Mintspot marked the border and led them away once she was gone.

"What was that about?" Stormpaw asked curiously.

"Some cats like to cause trouble, and I'm willing to bet that's what she was planning," Petalwind muttered with a roll of her eyes. "It's best that you don't let them get to you though. BoulderClan are always looking for an excuse to fight."

 _I guess that's what it's like when you're from another Clan_ , he suddenly thought. _They'll treat you like foxdung_. He wondered how the Clans managed to function at all with there being shared borders and constant battles.

Soon they were led towards a grove of young saplings that looked as though they'd just been planted by Twolegs. Stormpaw flattened himself to the ground when he realized this was a well kept path. A Twoleg path. He'd seen them running along the sidewalks before in Twolegplace. This one may be made of dirt, but he recognized the signs of a running path nonetheless.

"We try to avoid this area best as we can," Mintspot meowed when he noticed how uneasy the two looked. "Twolegs like to run on this path, so during greenleaf we tend to avoid it. It isn't too bad during leafbare."

"What's that weird stuff around the trees?" Nightpaw asked as she sniffed one of the saplings. Sure enough Stormpaw could see something white wrapped around the trunk. It looked like it was some kind of plastic material, but he couldn't be too sure.

"Twolegs are strange creatures," Petalwind murmured thoughtfully. "They use that stuff to keep the trees from bending, since they're so young and top heavy."

Stormpaw wrinkled his nose in disgust when he realized that she was right. Twolegs really were weird creatures. Why would they go to such lengths instead of letting nature take it's course? He was sure these trees would grow into strong and imposing barriers against the wind.

Eventually they were led to a smaller clearing that was surrounded by bushes of all types. Stormpaw's eyes widened when he saw the gray and white tom from earlier circling the light brown tabby tom known as Dustpaw.

"This is where apprentices train to fight and hunt," Mintspot explained. "You'll be joining them tomorrow."

Excitement suddenly surged through Stormpaw as he watched Dustpaw tackle the gray and white tom. The gray and white tom rolled easily to the side, whirled around and lashed out at Dustpaw's muzzle with his paws. These were moves that Stormpaw was eager to learn.

 _I can't wait to become a true apprentice without moves like those_ , he told himself.

Mintspot continued showing them one of ForestClan's best hunting places, an area where moss grew thickly around rocks and a carpet of ferns covered the ground. Stormpaw could already hear prey rustling in the undergrowth. His ears swiveled back and forth at the sound, and the urge to stalk was almost overwhelming.

He stopped himself though as the territory became more dense. Stormpaw looked around warily when he noticed that the area was covered in marshy land. Mintspot raised his tail to keep the new apprentice from stepping forward.

"Do you see that dead tree over there?" he asked. Stormpaw nodded and narrowed his eyes when he saw claw marks scoring deep into the bark. "That is CreekClan's border, and they spend much of their time in the water. The marsh is part of their territory."

Stormpaw's eyes widened at the thought of getting his paws wet. He didn't know what cat enjoyed it. But clearly these Clans were different, in a way that told him he still had a lot to learn about them.

"There's so much to take in," Nightpaw murmured.

"Yes, it is a lot to take in," Petalwind meowed over her shoulder as they skirted past the marsh, "but in time you will learn the difference between the borders."

Stormpaw nodded in agreement, still feeling overwhelmed by all of the information they were giving him. He hoped that Petalwind was right. Otherwise he would get lost the moment he wandered the forest alone.

...

"You can't possibly expect those two to fit in?" Willowpaw gaped as she glared at Stormpaw and Nightpaw. The two of them had returned from their border patrol, and Stormpaw's muscles were aching. But Willowpaw's sharp retort had made Stormpaw flinch when he reached her.

"Leafstar already accepted them," the gray and white tom known as Jaypaw meowed. Apparently he had returned from his training as well. "Besides, I can see one of them having good potential as a warrior."

Stormpaw bristled when Jaypaw said that. He wasn't eying either of them, though Stormpaw could see that Jaypaw had been eying Nightpaw since they returned. His sister seemed oblivious to it though as she trotted over to the fresh-kill pile.

"You aren't supposed to eat unless you've taken care of the elders and queens." Prickletail suddenly stopped Nightpaw from getting any closer. "You _do_ know about the warrior code, don't you?"

The tone in her voice made Stormpaw glare at her. What right did she have in stopping his sister from taking fresh-kill? They had worked all morning and should have earned it! He was ready to argue with her when Petalwind intervened.

"Prickletail, they haven't even been taught the warrior code, you can't expect them to know it by heart," she reasoned. Prickletail only glared at her in response.

"Then that is the first thing you should have taught them," she hissed irritably.

Petalwind only rolled her eyes as Prickletail stalked away. Nightpaw blinked once the older she-cat was gone. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't realize it would cause trouble."

"No, she does have a point in saying that we should have told you first," Petalwind reassured her. "It is an apprentice's duty to clean out the elder's den, and take care of them before they can take care of themselves. That has always been our tradition."

 _I guess that makes sense_ , Stormpaw realized. It still annoyed him though the way Prickletail had acted around Nightpaw. It was like she was out to get her. And if that was the case, Stormpaw wasn't going to let Prickletail get away with that.

"This is nothing like living in Twolegplace," he admitted as he joined them. Petalwind blinked in surprise when he admitted that. Then she took him by surprise by purring and brushing her tail across his shoulder.

"Don't worry," she told him. "In time you'll learn everything. And eventually the Clan will learn to accept you as you are."

Stormpaw hoped that she was right. There really was so much to take in all at once. The Clan expected them to know everything. But Stormpaw didn't like learning quickly. He took his time understanding the situation and trying to figure out a solution to it. But maybe that was something the Clan would learn to accept in time. There was still much he and Nightpaw had to offer in the long run.

* * *

 **AN: Well there's the next chapter, hope you all liked it :) I do plan on keeping them this long, if I can. And of course I'll be updating as quickly as possible as well :D**

 **dalonadon71201 - Thanks!**

 **windflight13 - Thank you! Sorry, it's such a habit of mine to write them down on the bottom. I don't like having a lot of clutter up top for some reason /: OCD and all XD**


	4. Four: Apprentice Training

**Chapter Four - Apprentice Training**

Stormpaw woke with a start once again. He found himself back in the apprentice's den, and this time Willowpaw was sleeping nearby. Her first reaction to finding them in the apprentice's den was more than annoying. Stormpaw could still remember what she had said.

"Did Leafstar have bees in her brains or something?" she had demanded when she glared at Cricketpaw. "The last thing our Clan needs are more mouths to feed, especially _their_ mouths."

Her hostility towards them had unnerved Stormpaw. Nightpaw didn't seem to mind it. But he could see that she was getting tired of the insults Willowpaw and Furzepelt had hurtled at them. They had only been part of the Clan for two days now. It wasn't like they could learn everything overnight. Stormpaw wished it were that easy. There was still so much he had to understand.

He sighed and padded out of the apprentice's den. To his surprise the sun was only just beginning to rise again. A patrol of cats consisting of Bouncefoot, Furzepelt and Ryewhisker headed for the thorn tunnel entrance. Stormpaw blinked when he saw Dustpaw trotting after the patrol.

 _Will_ we _have to get up that early, just to explore the forest_? he wondered. Yesterday's trek had been exhausting. His muscles still ached a little from running all day. But he knew that complaining about it would only confirm what Furzepelt and Willowpaw were pointing out.

"Well look who's up early this time." Stormpaw jumped when he heard Cricketpaw's voice. He turned to see her staring at him with amusement in her eyes. "Are you always this jumpy in the morning? You won't last on the dawn patrol if you are," she added in the slightest purrs.

"No, I'm just..." Stormpaw's ears flattened in embarrassment. He liked Cricketpaw. There was something about her that just made life in the Clan a little easier. Her good natured attitude made him realize that not everyone in the Clan was out to get them.

"Don't worry about it," she meowed. "Come on, we get first pick on the fresh-kill pile." Stormpaw tilted his head to one side in confusion as she led him towards it. There wasn't much left from last night. Just a couple of mice and a large blackbird.

"I thought we weren't supposed to eat before the elder's were taken care of?" he asked curiously. Cricketpaw let out a _mrrow_ of laughter and looked at him.

"They were taken care of last night, silly," she replied. "No, we have first pick before we head off to training. After that, we have to make sure they were taken care of." Stormpaw blinked in understanding as he grabbed a mouse from the pile.

None of what she said made sense to him. Stormpaw found it all too confusing and complex. Cricketpaw sighed when she realized that what she said had confused him. She sat down beside him and the two of them shared a mouse together.

"Are you two in love or something?" Stormpaw flinched when he heard Willowpaw's voice from behind them. "I always knew you'd choose a _loner_ of all cats," she added in a triumphant sneer.

"And I always knew _you_ were a foxheart, so what else is new?" Cricketpaw shrugged as if her remark had meant nothing. But Stormpaw didn't miss the fact that she had scooted further away. He gave his chest fur a few licks out of embarrassment. "Don't you have anything better to do than torment everyone?"

Willowpaw's lips curled in annoyance. It was obvious that Cricketpaw's words had stung. Stormpaw stifled a purr of thanks as she stalked away with her tail lashing from side to side. He could handle Prickletail and Furzepelt just fine. But Willowpaw was a whole other problem.

"Why is she like that?" he wondered out loud.

"She's always been like that," Cricketpaw replied with another shrug. "Willowpaw has always been so full of herself, that she can't admit when she's made a mistake. I think she takes more after her mother than she realizes."

Stormpaw was tempted to ask who her mother was. The only other cat who looked like Willowpaw was Prickletail. And the two had an attitude that would make sense as to why she acted the way she did. But then who was her father? Either way he knew he wouldn't get the answers here. It was something he would have to ask Willowpaw herself.

"Stormpaw, since you're up so early, perhaps you can go out for apprentice training." Mintspot emerged from the warrior's den and approached them immediately. Standing beside him was Ravenflight, the Clan deputy.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to bring you along, Cricketpaw," she added to the apprentice.

Cricketpaw's eyes gleamed at the prospect of training. Stormpaw tilted his head to one side once more, still not quite understanding what that meant. Then he realized where Mintspot was getting with this. Finally he was going to learn some fighting moves!

He bounded after the group as Ravenflight led the way. It had taken both Cricketpaw and Jaypaw to explain what her role as deputy was. Stormpaw didn't realize just how important Ravenflight was to the Clan. She helped Leafstar make any important decisions, and also organized all of the border patrols and hunting patrols.

Stormpaw shook his head at the thought. He didn't know if becoming deputy would be such a good thing. To him it sounded like too much responsibility. He was only just beginning to understand the ways of the Clan. And even than he didn't fully understand them.

"From what Willowpaw described, you aren't much of a fighter," Mintspot meowed as they reached the clearing where apprentices trained. Stormpaw narrowed his eyes at the mention of Willowpaw. "I want to see what you know; Cricketpaw, would you mind becoming his fighting partner?"

Cricketpaw nodded and flicked her tail to Stormpaw. His heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized he would be fighting her. She looked so small and fragile, and for a moment he was afraid to hurt her. But the moment that thought occurred to him, Cricketpaw suddenly lunged.

He held back a gasp of surprise before ducking. Cricketpaw landed on the ground nearby, whirled around and tried lashing out again with her paws sheathed. Stormpaw moved to the side quickly to avoid getting his muzzle snared. He retaliated by striking out with a paw, but Cricketpaw was faster. She fought back with such force that Stormpaw was sent tumbling when she managed to knock him off his paws.

"You fight like a washed up fox," Ravenflight scoffed. "What you need to be taught is strategy, skill and insight." She glared at Mintspot as he ignored her look.

"As _my_ apprentice I will teach you what you need to know," he meowed. "Stormpaw, your fighting skills aren't bad, but as Ravenflight has said, you still have much to learn."

Cricketpaw sat on her haunches when the fighting was over. She didn't even look tired as she washed her paws nonchalantly. Stormpaw wished he could have the same energy as her. It was almost like she had found the entire fight amusing.

Mintspot spent the rest of that morning teaching Stormpaw basic fighting moves. He started him off easy by stretching out his muscles. Stormpaw reached out with his front paws and tried stretching out without causing too much pain. Eventually Mintspot taught him a more difficult move, one that made Stormpaw raise his paw and swing it down as fast and hard as he could. His paw landed on the ground with ease, causing the soil around him to swirl in a cloud of dust.

"Not bad," Mintspot commented. "You learn quickly, which will come in handy."

Pride swelled within Stormpaw at his praise. He hoped that Mintspot was right. All he wanted was to learn how to defend himself. By the time they were finished with training, Stormpaw felt like he was ready to fall over with exhaustion. He wanted to rest in the worst way. But Mintspot wasn't finished with him yet, and neither was Ravenflight or Cricketpaw.

"We still have the border to patrol," Ravenflight told him after eying him warily. Stormpaw resisted the urge to groan. He was in no hurry to join them on a patrol, especially with how long the day had been going already.

"Don't worry, we're not going through the entire forest," Cricketpaw murmured as if she had read his mind. He nodded to her thankfully and padded after the group, struggling not to limp as his paw felt stiff from training so long.

They were heading for the CreekClan border. Stormpaw's eyes narrowed as his paws almost slipped over the marshy undergrowth. Cricketpaw let out a purr of amusement before helping him back up. Ravenflight and Mintspot were already ahead of them, and thankfully they hadn't noticed.

"Ravenflight, it's good to see you again." Stormpaw stiffened when a silvery gray she-cat stepped past the rotten log that marked the border. He half expected Ravenflight to strike out at the she-cat. But instead the deputy acknowledged her with a nod.

"And you as well, Dewleaf," she purred in response. "How is the prey running in CreekClan?"

"It keeps our bellies full," Dewleaf replied. Stormpaw didn't miss the fact that she wasn't alone. Standing next to her was a smaller looking ginger and white she-cat. Her fur was bristling slightly as she stayed on the right side of the border. "I trust that hunting is well in your Clan?"

 _These two are acting like long-lost friends_! Stormpaw thought with realization. He thought that there were supposed to be boundaries between the Clans. It didn't make any sense to him. Even Mintspot didn't seem offended that Dewleaf had crossed the border.

"Dewleaf is Ravenflight's sister," Cricketpaw explained in a whisper. Stormpaw's eyes widened in amazement, and Cricketpaw's tail flicked towards Dewleaf. "She left the Clan because she didn't like the way it was being led. She was still an apprentice at the time, and Leafstar was still deputy."

The silver she-cat's eyes narrowed when she heard Cricketpaw's mew. Fortunately she didn't dare say anything though. Stormpaw's shoulders sagged in relief when she meowed her goodbye to Ravenflight and padded away.

Once they were gone, the tension from earlier seemed to fade. Stormpaw followed the group back towards camp as the day dragged on. He only just realized that he spent the entire day training. By that point he had forgotten about his aching muscles, and was more than happy to spend the day with his new Clan.

...

"Did you meet the elders yet?" Nightpaw's question made Stormpaw blink in surprise. He would have thought she would go out for training as well. But apparently Petalwind made her clean out the elder's den, all by herself, all day. She looked more than just irritated.

"Why didn't she bring you out for training?" Stormpaw asked, tilting his head to one side curiously. Nightpaw had what it took to become a warrior. She just needed someone who had faith in her skills. He could already picture her battling it out alongside him. "Mintspot showed me a few moves, maybe I could show you what he taught me."

Nightpaw narrowed her eyes, and for a moment Stormpaw was almost taken aback by the anger in them. "Thanks, but I can teach myself fighting moves," she hissed. "I don't need you looking out for me anymore." She threw her muzzle in the air and stalked away, leaving Stormpaw behind to gape in disbelief.

She never acted this way before. Even when they were loners she was always more timid than this. Now it was as if she was replaced with someone more sinister. Stormpaw shivered at the thought. He didn't want his sister to change. They had always been close, and if she did change they might part ways.

"She's just mad because Petalwind wouldn't take her out today," Dustpaw meowed as he joined him. "Give her time, I'm sure she'll get over it."

Stormpaw looked at the light brown tabby tom doubtfully, but he nodded nonetheless. He had to hope that Dustpaw was right. Knowing that Nightpaw was under stress would explain why she acted the way she did. He just hoped she wasn't always this way.

"Is that why Willowpaw's always so angry with us?" he suddenly couldn't help but ask.

"That I can't answer," Dustpaw replied with a smirk. Before Stormpaw could ask anything else, he padded away. Stormpaw held back another groan of annoyance once Dustpaw was gone.

Why were she-cats always so complicated? Even Cricketpaw didn't make his life so difficult. Then again he was still only just getting to know her. Her spirited energy made him realize that every cat in the Clan was different. And he realized with a start that if he wanted to fit in with the Clan, he would need to understand them in more ways than one.

 _This is going to be harder than I thought_ , he realized.


	5. Five: Whispering Stars

**Chapter Five - Whispering Stars  
**

"Can you tell me what you can scent?" Mintspot's question made Stormpaw open his mouth to taste the air. Sure enough he could pick up the stray scent of mouse. There was something else in the air, something that made his fur bristle slightly.

"I smell a mouse... and something else," he replied after a few heartbeats passed. He wasn't given another chance to speak as someone launched out of the bush nearby. Mintspot stepped to the side when Stormpaw was almost tackled to the ground by Willowpaw.

Willowpaw was quick and precise. He held back a hiss of frustration and rolled to the side in order to avoid getting clawed at. Or pawed at. He didn't realize until now that she was using her paws sheathed. Willowpaw fought with such ferocity that it made him wonder why she bothered keeping her claws sheathed.

It was a training exercise that Harestep had come up with. Apparently he and Mintspot believed it would be a good idea to hide one apprentice and see how fast the other would react to a sudden ambush. So far Stormpaw was failing miserably trying to keep up with Willowpaw.

 _She thinks I'm such an easy target_ , he thought bitterly. _Well I've got more than one trick under my paw_.

Willowpaw had let go of him, and he managed to slither out from under her grasp. While she was getting ready to jump, Stormpaw twisted and swung his paw across her muzzle, hitting her hard. Willowpaw staggered back to her paws, letting out a hiss of frustration when Stormpaw smirked at her.

"I think I've made my point," he purred when she stalked away towards Harestep. The light brown tabby was standing nearby, watching the entire scene unfold. Stormpaw snorted in amusement when he saw how annoyed Willowpaw looked. She hated admitting defeat, even against a newly named apprentice.

"This isn't over," she spat, glaring at him with hatred in her eyes.

 _Oh, I already know that_ , Stormpaw thought with a roll of his eyes.

"I think we've already seen that you have good reflexes," Mintspot meowed, looking between the two apprentice's. He seemed oblivious to the fact that Willowpaw was out to get Stormpaw. Either that or he was arguing minor disputes like these. "Stormpaw, I'd like to see how you fair on hunting. Harestep, what do you suggest?"

"I will take Willowpaw and leave you to your own decision," Harestep replied.

Stormpaw frowned when he saw Willowpaw glare at him as they left. The fact that Willowpaw was still hateful towards him unnerved him. He got along just fine with the other apprentices. Well, other than Jaypaw who liked to think he was the best of the best. What was Willowpaw so spiteful?

"Don't take it too personally," Mintspot murmured as if he had read Stormpaw's thoughts. Stormpaw looked at him in surprise. "Willowpaw takes time to trust others, especially loners. Her mother never trusted them either."

"Who exactly was her mother?" Stormpaw couldn't help but ask. He knew that he shouldn't snoop, especially around those who hated him. But curiosity was getting the better of him, and Mintspot would more than likely know the truth.

"Her mother was Fallingfeather," Mintspot replied in a grim tone.

" _Was_?" Stormpaw repeated.

"Fallingfeather died this leafbare, just before Willowpaw was made an apprentice," Mintspot explained. "She felt betrayed by loners when she asked for their assistance with the Clan. We were desperate - we didn't have any catmint left, and many of our Clanmates were sick with greencough."

Understanding lit in Stormpaw's eyes. He remembered hearing Cricketpaw talk about greencough. It was a terrible sickness that spread like wildfire during leafbare. Apparently there were only a few herbs that had the capability to cure it. But even that wasn't always enough.

"What happened to her?" Stormpaw sat back and watched, his heart racing as Mintspot lowered his gaze.

"Fallingfeather was killed by the very loner she begged for help," he replied. "And she was my mate."

Stormpaw could only gape at Mintspot in disbelief. Fallingfeather was killed by a loner, and she was Mintspot's mate! No wonder Willowpaw didn't trust him. She probably blamed him and Nightpaw for her mother's death. But they would have only been kits at the time, if they were even born yet.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," he whispered. To his surprise, Mintspot didn't look angry like he expected. He was bracing himself for cruel taunts that would follow, like Willowpaw would when she didn't get her way.

"It wasn't your fault," Mintspot murmured thoughtfully. "Fallingfeather died a noble death... though Willowpaw would never see it that way."

He nodded, though he felt doubt prickle his fur. Willowpaw had every right to hate him. Now he understood why she behaved the way she did.

Mintspot spent the rest of that morning showing Stormpaw hunting techniques. In the end he managed to catch a mouse for the first time, and even a couple of voles. They were his first true catches in the forest. Back in the city he'd never had the luxury of prey like this.

Stormpaw was carrying a mouthful of prey as he followed Mintspot back to camp. Pride swelled within him as he thought of how much he was learning in such a short time. Mintspot had told him that he learned quickly. Such intelligence was useful in the Clan. They didn't seek out cats who weren't willing to learn new things, or understand the ways of the warrior code.

"Stormpaw, why don't you take that mouse you caught to the elders?" Mintspot suggested when they reached the clearing. "I'm sure they would appreciate a good meal that was freshly caught."

He nodded and grabbed the mouse from earlier before trotting over to the elder's den. It was near the warrior's den, and protected by a canopy of thick leaves to keep the rain and snow away. The entrance itself had a curtain of lichen covering it. Stormpaw noticed a patch of grass where they must usually rest in the sunlight.

With a deep breath, he pushed his way into the den and blinked at the two old looking cats. One was a dark orange tom with piercing green eyes, and a muzzle that looked almost white with age. The other was a smaller white she-cat, whose left eye had a cloudy look in it.

"I don't recognize your scent," the she-cat growled. "Who are you? Leafstar would never allow any strangers in the camp!" Stormpaw flinched and was about to defend himself when the orange tom intervened.

"Tinywing, don't you remember? This is one of the loners that she took in a couple of days ago," he explained. The she-cat's eyes narrowed as she looked towards Stormpaw. He stiffened as she glared at him through her right eye.

"This eye of mine may not see too well, but I can smell just as well," she snapped. "I smell prey. Is it poisoned? Did someone send you here to kill us all?" Again Stormpaw flinched. Her accusing tone told him that she might never trust him. He dropped the mouse at the orange tom and looked at Tinywing warily.

"I would never hurt another cat," he promised. "Not unless I had to."

Tinywing still looked doubtful, but she calmed down when he said that. The orange tom took the mouse gratefully and passed it on to Tinywing.

"You'll have to forgive her," he murmured apologetically. "Life in the Clan isn't always easy. But we've managed to survive all these moons, and I have no doubt we will continue to."

He shot Tinywing a look, as if expecting her to argue against him. Fortunately she didn't say anything. Instead she sniffed the mouse cautiously and took a bite from it. Once Stormpaw was certain they were satisfied with their meal, he backed away and ran.

 _Are all older cats that nasty_? he wondered, thinking of Tinywing's reaction to his arrival.

"Looks like Mintspot put all the useless cats together." Stormpaw narrowed his eyes at Willowpaw's sneer. She was standing nearby, watching him through narrowed eyes. "Why don't you give up and go back to where you belong? No one expects you to last much longer," she added.

"Maybe because unlike you, I have a purpose in life now," he snapped, letting anger and frustration take over. He was tired of putting up with her taunts. Willowpaw needed to learn that he wasn't going to take them sitting any longer. "I've always had to protect my sister back in Twolegplace, and now I have a Clan to protect. I wouldn't expect you to understand what it means to keep family safe."

Willowpaw's lip curled with outrage. Stormpaw braced himself as she lunged at him. He rolled to the ground and dodged as she tried slamming her claws into his chest. When that didn't work, she nipped at his tail and managed to grab a tuft of fur. Willowpaw let out a hiss of frustration when he managed to break free of her grip. Pain seared within him, but Stormpaw used that pain to strike back with more force than he expected. He slammed down on her forehead with his paws, managing to send her flying into the apprentice's den.

"What is going on here?" Stormpaw froze in his spot at the sound of Leafstar's voice. He flinched and turned to see her glaring at him. "When I took you in I expected better of you. Perhaps Prickletail and Furzepelt were right by saying I should not trust you."

Stormpaw stared at her in horror when he realized what he just did. He turned in time to see Willowpaw limping out of the apprentice's den. Her head was now bleeding, and she glared at him with hatred in her eyes.

"I told you loners can't be trusted," she spat before heading for the medicine cat's den.

"I-I didn't mean to hurt her!" Stormpaw defended himself. "She just makes me..." He knew that saying what he felt would only make things worse. Leafstar narrowed her eyes and lashed her tail.

"I think it's safe to say that you don't belong here," she growled. "Stormpaw, I strip you of your apprentice name, for it no longer stands for what you are. If any of my cats catch you in the forest, we will not hesitate to kill you."

All he could do was stare at her in despair. "But I can't leave my sister! She- she's the only family I have!"

"Then you should have thought of that before attacking your Clanmate." Leafstar left it at that and stalked away.

His head bowed in defeat and shame once she left. Inside his mind was churning with hatred for Willowpaw. If it wasn't for her none of this would have happened. She wanted him gone more than anything. And now she had gotten her wish.

...

"I'll never trust them again," he told himself as he padded through the thick undergrowth. He should have known that he couldn't trust the Clans. The moment he turned his back they were out to get him. To make matters worse, Leafstar hadn't given him a chance to explain himself.

He hated her. And he hated himself for trusting her. Because of the Clan he was separated from Nightpaw. And now he was more than just alone.

Storm held back a sigh as he curled up in a dry patch of undergrowth. It was late. By now the apprentices would be wondering where he was, if they cared at all. Cricketpaw was the only one who ever cared about him. He wondered for a moment if she would ask what had happened to him. Or if Nightpaw would ask.

 _Nightpaw, I'm so sorry_ , he thought bitterly. He closed his eyes as exhaustion crept over him. Tomorrow he would return to Twolegplace. Maybe he could find their old nest and eke out a living somehow. At least now he knew how to defend himself.

"Stormpaw." His eyes shot open the moment they had closed. Storm blinked and found himself in the forest again. Only this forest was different. The trees were more ancient looking, and the sky more open. Stars gleamed in the night sky, illuminating the leaves above.

"Where am I?" he asked out loud. He wasn't sure if anyone would hear him. Or care for that matter. It seemed the only reason he joined the Clan was to be banished a few days later.

"Stormpaw." The voice whispered his old name again. Storm flinched and looked as a ghostly figure appeared in the darkness. His eyes widened when he realized that figure happened to be a cat, whose pelt seemed to glow with starlight. "At last I am able to see you, and you are able to see me," the cat whispered.

"W-Who are you?" he demanded, letting his fur bristle slightly. Yet he felt oddly calm despite the fear that was threatening to overwhelm him.

"You have every right to fear me," the cat replied.

He realized that it was a she-cat, who seemed to appear right before his eyes. Her pelt was silvery white, with a long plumy tail that swept over the leaves under her paws. But that wasn't what had struck him the most. It was her eyes. They were a vibrant blue, like the sky. Like Willowpaw's eyes.

"Are you... are you a warrior from StarClan?" he couldn't help but ask, his voice softer this time.

Cricketpaw had told him about StarClan. They were the ancestors of the Clans, and often looked down upon the Clans when they needed them the most. Apparently both medicine cats and leaders were able to communicate with them through the Mooncave, but Storm had never seen Leafstar go.

"I am," she replied in a purr. "You truly are a unique cat, Stormpaw. That is why I chose to walk with you." Storm flinched once more as she used his old name.

"You must not have gotten the memo yet," he muttered crossly. "Leafstar banished me. Apparently I'm not fit for the Clan."

She lowered her muzzle and looked at him sympathetically. "I heard what happened between you and Willowpaw, and for that I apologize," she murmured. "She may be rash in her actions, but Willowpaw's heart is true. She only wishes to keep the Clan safe."

 _Then why was she out to get me_? he wondered.

"Why are you here?" he asked, letting his anger return once more.

"I am here because StarClan has foreseen what you will do for the Clans," she replied. "A storm that will bring the Clans together in a time of darkness, or tear them apart. It is your decision whether or not you stay. But your choice will effect the Clans in a way that you will never understand."

Confusion swept through him when she said that. Before he could ask her anything else, she vanished right before his eyes. Frustration made his claws sheathe and unsheathe as the forest around him disappeared as well.

 _Why can't I sleep like any normal cat would_? he wondered angrily. But his inner question was answered with silence. Storm spent the rest of the night in a dreamless sleep. He knew that tomorrow wasn't going to be pleasant. He would need all the rest he could get.

* * *

 **AN: I had so much fun writing this chapter! You all probably hate me now for doing what I did, but I couldn't resist ;) Next chapter should come out either tomorrow or the next day :)**

 **Feraa - Thank you!**

 **Smash765 - Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it so much so far :) Willowpaw is definitely my fave, next to Cricketpaw. She really does have a mysterious quality about her. Hopefully you'll continue enjoying it, because I've got a lot planned for this story :D**


	6. Six: A Loner Once More

**Chapter Six - A Loner Once More**

Storm found himself trotting along a path near Twolegplace. Fences of white and other shades of color stretched before him. Nearby he could hear the sound of a monster roaring to life. If Nightpaw were around she would have made some kind of joke about them. He didn't realize until now just how alone he really was.

He supposed this was what it was like to truly be a loner. They walked their paths without having to care for anyone else. Yet he had cared for his sister. More than anything he longed to see her glowing eyes once more. And Cricketpaw... he missed her too.

 _No_! He scolded himself for thinking of her. The Clans needed to be forgotten. He had a new mission. He had to find a safe place where he could spend the rest of his life. Or maybe he would continue traveling. There was still so much of the world he had yet to explore.

"Have you received any word yet from our new ally?"

Storm stopped in his tracks as he heard that voice. He recognized it from when he was just a kit. There was a tom in Twolegplace who was infamous for taking cats away from their homes, and forcing them into his group. And this cat happened to be that tom. Storm remembered hearing someone say his name was Strike, or something like that.

He neared the fence where the cat was hiding and pricked his ears forward. If they spotted him they would likely try and force him into their group. He was in no hurry, especially after what had happened in the Clan.

"Not yet... I imagine she's gaining their trust at the moment," meowed another cat.

Storm peered through the cracks between the fence and saw a tortoiseshell and white she-cat. She was sitting right next to a massive black tom, whose back was turned on him. The two seemed oblivious to the world as they spoke to one another.

"Good, that is what we need more than anything," he purred, a deep rumble in the back of his chest. "The Clans are fools if they think they can survive another leafbare. I'll make sure they suffer for not accepting our help."

"What about that she-cat, Fallingsomething? What did you do with her? I thought she came begging for something to help with their greencough situation."

Storm felt his heart pounding as she mentioned Fallingfeather. This must be the cat who killed her! His claws sheathed and unsheathed as he thought of what they must have done to her. He realized that if he stayed any longer they might do the same with him.

Without a second thought he ran as far away from that yard as possible. The loners around here were actually a band of rogues. He'd seen them from time to time while patrolling the area. He knew just how dangerous they were, and how cunning they could be.

 _I won't let them get to me_ , he told himself. Yet the back of his mind kept telling him he should warn the Clans about them. These rogues were out to kill if one didn't join their group. And he had a feeling their next target was the Clans.

...

(Nightpaw's POV)

Nightpaw found herself daydreaming as she stared at the clear blue sky. She imagined what it would be like to fly through the few clouds that covered it. To get away and travel the world with wings. When she was a kit she always dreamed of doing that. Just exploring the world without a care.

Now she had something to live for. The Clan had taken her and her brother in. She couldn't ask for a better life. She imagined life would be more difficult now that she was training. But Petalwind made it easy. She taught her things she never knew.

"What are you doing?" Amusement gleamed in Petalwind's eyes as she looked at Nightpaw.

"I was just wondering what it would be like to fly," Nightpaw admitted.

"Well, you're not going to catch prey by doing that," Petalwind mused. "Now let's go, there's a good hunting spot down that patch of ferns. Mice like to hide in there."

She followed Petalwind without hesitation. Sure enough her mentor was right - prey was plentiful here. Nightpaw had perfected her hunting crouch days before joining the Clan. Stormpaw just never had the chance to watch her practice. He was always too busy either 'guarding' or 'protecting' their territory.

 _But now I can show him just how strong I am_ , she thought proudly. She managed to catch two mice before Petalwind called her back.

"Well done, I can see that you're improving fast," Petalwind purred. "Let's see if you can catch something a little more challenging. Like that rabbit over there."

Petalwind's voice had dropped to a whisper. Nightpaw spotted the fluffy creature bounding through the undergrowth without a care. Immediately she dropped to a crouch and checked to make sure she was downwind of it. Petalwind had already taught her that prey was more likely to detect them then they were to find the prey.

 _I won't let that happen_ , she told herself. She kept herself low to the ground and moved as quietly as she could. Rabbits were experts at hearing. So she decided to stalk it in silence. Her approach was slow, but at least she managed to reach it long before the rabbit detected her.

Nightpaw saw her chance and leaped forward. The rabbit panicked at the last second and started to flee. Nightpaw was faster though. Her claws latched onto it's thick pelt and she managed to pull it down before it got away. Triumph surged within her as she dragged it back to Petalwind.

"You've become a fine hunter," Petalwind reassured her. "Let's bring this back to camp, it's getting late."

She nodded and trotted after Petalwind as her mentor carried the rabbit for her. Nightpaw picked up the two mice she caught earlier and followed her back to camp. What she saw there made her heart skip a beat.

The Clan was gathered under the branch where Leafstar had held their ceremony. She noticed that Willowpaw was sitting outside the medicine cat's den. Her head was covered in cobwebs, and what looked like dried up leaves.

"What happened?" Petalwind demanded after dropping the rabbit on the fresh-kill pile.

" _He_ happened," Willowpaw spat before anyone else could answer.

"Your brother was banished from the Clan," Mintspot explained, glaring at Willowpaw as she ignored the look he gave her. "Leafstar was just explaining to us why."

Nightpaw's eyes widened in horror when she realized he was referring to Stormpaw. What sort of trouble had he gotten himself into this time? She turned to Leafstar and saw that the leader did not look happy.

"Stormpaw has been stripped of his apprentice name, and he has been banished from the Clan for attacking his Clanmate," Leafstar meowed. Almost at once murmurs rippled through the crowd. Nightpaw found every cat glaring at her after Leafstar had said that. Her ears flattened as she realized they were probably blaming her as well for his actions. "As such, if any of you see him in the forest, either chase him out, or kill him. He has no place in the Clan."

 _What_? Nightpaw couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat. How could they do this to them? Nightpaw could remember spending most of her life with Storm. He truly was her best friend. Without him she felt lost and confused, especially back in Twolegplace.

"It's about time she banished that runt," Furzepelt growled. "I didn't trust him from the start."

"Quiet, you know those two are related," Prickletail hissed as she glared at Nightpaw.

She ignored the look and stalked away, feeling shame and anger crawl through her. When she reached the apprentice's den, she saw that Cricketpaw was looking at her sympathetically. Her lips curled in annoyance as she tried to ignore her as well.

 _I don't need your sympathy_ , she thought bitterly. Besides, she knew that her brother had a crush of some sort on Cricketpaw. It had been obvious from the way he would moon over her. She wondered what the older apprentice would do now that he was gone.

...

He held back a groan as he finally found a place to rest for the night. It wasn't their old nest, but for now it would do. The nest was just outside a Twoleg nest, and he found the same soft blanket he and his sister used to sleep on inside.

Storm let out a sigh as he curled up on the blanket. He remembered how comfortable the mossy nests back in the Clan had been. Despite the fact that they didn't look it, he realized they were much more welcoming than these things.

He bristled at the thought and turned to his side. The harsh light that flooded out of the Twoleg nest was almost overwhelming. If there was any other place to sleep he would have picked that one. But of course he was stuck with this nest.

"Who's sleeping in my nest?" Storm blinked warily at the sound of another voice. He finally let out a groan and sat up before seeing a small looking dark gray tom with piercing yellow eyes. "My Twolegs don't usually let me in at night; this is where I sleep," he added in a growl.

"Oh, sorry." Storm sat up and suddenly scooted out of the nest, realizing he'd invaded someone's territory. The small gray tom's nose wrinkled when he took a sniff of Storm's fur.

"What sort of stench is that? It smells like you haven't had a bath in weeks!" he scoffed. This time Storm resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I think I'd rather take my chances with a fox than get a bath from Twolegs," he growled. "You kittypets are so weird."

"Kittypets?" The tom narrowed his eyes and suddenly lashed out at Storm with his paw. Storm simply moved to the side and avoided getting struck on the muzzle. "You wouldn't know a good cat if it fell on you," he snapped. "If I were you I'd leave the nest now, before I let them know you're here."

Storm was ready to defend himself when he thought better of it. Clearly this cat wouldn't listen to reason. He rolled his eyes and lashed his tail as he padded away, leaving the kittypet behind. He didn't expect to find anyone else out this late at night. Usually it was just the rogues that stayed up this late.

 _And they stick to their own hunting grounds, usually_ , he reminded himself. He decided it would be better to stay on the sidewalk and travel that way. At least under the strange Twoleg lights he would be safer. Rogues tended to stay in the shadows rather than stalk in the light.

He didn't stop wandering until finally he reached what appeared to be a small park. It was a cleared out area with a few young trees growing around it. In the center he could see what looked like an ancient oak tree growing towards the sky. Storm's eyes widened when he realized this might make a good spot to sleep.

With another sigh he padded over to one of the roots of the oak tree. It was raised in a way that made it look like a cave. Storm realized with a start that this would make the perfect den. He could sleep here during the day and hunt during the night when the Twolegs were gone.

He curled up and sighed in relief. Sleep would hopefully come easily. Though he doubted any of his dreams would be peaceful.

* * *

 **AN: Next few chapters are going to include Nightpaw's POV, just a forewarning.**


	7. Seven: Flare and Rex

**Chapter Seven - Flare and Rex**

Storm spent most of his time hunting or keeping the area safe from rogues. A few times he had spotted some scouting the park. But they didn't get much closer when the Twolegs were around. It seemed they were more afraid of Twolegs than he originally thought.

More than once a Twoleg kit would find him. Storm had to claw his way to one of the younger trees in order to keep away. Fortunately they never stayed around long enough to find him. Once they were gone he would jump back down and hide in his den.

He found his life was getting boring on his own. Storm wished there was more to do other than sitting around all day. He'd tried teaching himself fighting moves like Mintspot had taught him. But Storm realized too late that he'd forgotten most of them.

It had only been a couple of days and he was already forgetting life in the Clan. He didn't want to think about them, or his sister. Nightpaw was probably having the time of her life. And Willowpaw had probably been more than happy when Leafstar cast him out.

 _It doesn't matter now_ , he reminded himself. _I'm going to be happy here, one way or another_.

"Come on Rex, just a little farther and we can get something to drink."

Storm stiffened when he heard a she-cat's voice. He dove into his nest and peered outside to see a dark ginger she-cat leading the way. Leaning against her was an aging gray and white tom, whose muzzle was so white that it looked like he was born that way. He was nothing but skin and bones, and it looked as though the slightest breeze might snap him in half.

"I don't need you youngin' hasslin' me!" the tom he guessed was Rex snapped.

"I only want to look out for you," the she-cat murmured, sounding a bit hurt by his spirit. "What if those rogues decide to attack us again?"

Interest suddenly took over when she said that. Storm hadn't missed the fact that more and more rogues were around. These two were obviously loners by the looks of it. Storm could make out powerful muscles rippling under the she-cat's pelt. But she too was thin like the tom.

"We showed 'em what's what," Rex replied. "I doubt they'll be showin' their faces around again."

The two of them remained quiet as the she-cat led him to a small puddle. It had rained the other night, and remains of the storm could still be seen. A branch had snapped and twisted off the tree that gave Storm shelter. He had to push it out of the way in order to leave his den safely. One of the strange seats the Twoleg kits played on was twisted on the rope so that it hung upside down. But that didn't scare away the she-cat as she jumped on the one that was still intact.

"We aren't alone," she suddenly hissed, noticing Storm for the first time. Rex stiffened and suddenly whipped around, though his movement caused him to stagger on his paws. "Are you okay?" she demanded, realizing she might have hurt him.

"Show yourself, youngin'!" he yowled, ignoring the she-cat's question.

Storm finally emerged from his den. He glared at the tom and the she-cat, noticing that they were more menacing than he realized.

"This is my territory, and you're the intruders!" he growled.

"What? No one claims the park as their home and lives to tell the tale," the she-cat meowed, sounding shocked.

"Well I did," Storm replied, glaring at her as she jumped down from her perch. "And I've kept it safe from trespassers like you so far." The she-cat narrowed her eyes and suddenly stepped closer.

"I bet we could break that streak," she purred silkily. "You've obviously managed to hold your own, and with our help you could easily expand your territory." Storm barely noticed that she had gotten close enough that their pelts were almost touching.

He thought back to how the Clan cats had cared for one another and thrived because of it. Having allies would come in handy, especially if those rogues did decide to attack. His thoughts were churning as the she-cat continued rubbing her tail under his chin.

"No, I work alone," he suddenly spat, pushing her away. The she-cat blinked in shock when she realized he had turned her down. "You think that you can just waltz in here and expect me to take you in?"

"O-Of course not," she replied, sounding a bit shaken by his response. "I was hoping you could protect us though... these rogues have been getting worse by kidnapping cats off the streets. It's rumored they perform sacrifices on those who don't join them."

"Why should I waste my time protecting you?" Storm demanded. Though a chill swept down his back when she mentioned the sacrifices. He remembered hearing about cats disappearing in the middle of the night. Some of them were forced to join the group of rogues. But those who didn't, never lived to tell the tale of their capture.

"Because you seem like a cat sensible enough to help others," she meowed.

Storm paused and realized that she was making sense. He couldn't bring himself to hurt another cat. Not unless he had to. Besides, she looked like someone who could easily defend herself. Having someone like that on his side might come in handy.

"Alright, I guess you could stay here," he sighed after realizing that she was giving him exactly what she wanted. "But you must be able to hunt for yourselves; I only hunt on my own," he quickly added.

The she-cat's eyes glowed with hope. "I can hunt for both Rex _and_ myself," she boasted. "My name's Flare, by the way." Her fur rippled as she pushed her way past him. Storm narrowed his eyes as she returned to Rex's side.

"Storm," he introduced himself with a firm nod.

Flare acknowledged his name with a nod. Seeing her now, he realized that she would make a valuable ally. He needed to make sure that she wasn't just playing him though. She could be exactly like Willowpaw, and betray him in some way or the other. Loyalty was what he needed more than anything else.

...

(Nightpaw's POV)

"What's going on?" Nightpaw groaned as she heard a wail sounding from the nursery.

It was the only den she hadn't visited yet. Petalwind had told her that maybe if she became a warrior, she would get to stay there. But she wasn't in any hurry to have kits.

"Fallowtail is having kits," Cricketpaw replied through a half yawn.

It was barely dawn when the kitting started. The only other kit Nightpaw had ever seen was her brother, and that was because they shared a nest. She was excited to see what different kits looked like.

"It's too early for this!" Willowpaw muttered and sat up.

By now she had almost fully recovered from the injuries Storm had inflicted. The fact that she had him banished didn't stop her from constantly nagging Nightpaw. She realized that Willowpaw wouldn't be fully satisfied until they were both gone.

"Fallowtail can't help when her kits are due," Cricketpaw defended her. "Besides, new kits mean that the Clan is getting stronger."

That seemed to ease whatever frustration Willowpaw was feeling. Nightpaw let out a sigh and padded out of the den. She saw that camp itself wasn't too busy. Only a couple of cats had been woken up by the noise.

Nightpaw sat back and watched as a brown and white tom emerged from the nursery. She recognized him as the medicine cat, Sagetail. She hadn't heard much about him, but she did know that he was Leafstar's brother. That meant they probably had a close relationship, or something along those lines.

"I need some help with this kitting," he rasped as he looked at Nightpaw. She felt herself stiffen instinctively when she realized he referred to her. "Grab a stick and some wet moss, we'll need it."

She thought for a moment before doing what she was told. Fortunately branches were easy to come by. Wet moss on the other paw, that was a bit more difficult. She had to snag her claws across a boulder before dipping it in a nearby stream.

Once that task was finished she returned to camp to find Sagetail in the nursery. He was crouched over Fallowtail, whose teeth were ground together in what Nightpaw thought was pain. She frowned and passed over the stick she had grabbed earlier, than handed Sagetail the moss.

"They're almost here," Sagetail told her in a reassuring tone. Fallowtail let out a loud wail that made Nightpaw's ears flatten. The branch between her teeth suddenly snapped, and finally the first kit arrived. Sagetail immediately nipped open the sac and handed the kit over to Nightpaw, whose eyes widened in disbelief at the newborn. "Lick it's fur the wrong way to dry it," he ordered.

Nightpaw hesitated for a moment before doing as she was told once again. She started licking the kit's fur the wrong way until it let out a mewling noise. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when another kit arrived, followed by two more. Finally Fallowtail was finished, though she looked exhausted as Nightpaw handed a second kit back over to Sagetail.

"Well done, you've had two toms and two she-cats," Sagetail purred happily. He suddenly turned to Nightpaw as she watched the kits warily. It was the first time she had ever seen another kit. The way they looked so small and helpless, it was no wonder their mother had stayed until they were weaned. "Thank you for your help; I doubt the other apprentices would have offered it," he added to her.

"Y-You're welcome," she murmured, feeling a bit surprised by his gratitude. She watched as Sagetail gave Fallowtail a bundle of herbs. The queen looked more than content as she rested her head on the moss. "Where's the father?" she suddenly asked, wondering why he hadn't stopped by to visit.

"It's best we don't mention it here," Sagetail sighed as Fallowtail lapped up the herbs. She didn't seem to hear. It was probably a good thing as Sagetail led the way out of the den. "Her mate died during leafbare," he explained once they were outside. "It was around the same time Fallingfeather died."

Sympathy swelled within Nightpaw's heart. She knew all too well what it was like to lose someone she cared about. Because of Willowpaw, Storm was gone. She never knew her father, and she barely remembered her mother. Everyone she ever cared about was gone. But she realized that being part of a Clan gave her a new chance to find someone to care about.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "That must have been hard."

"It was... Watching all of them die, and there was nothing that I could do to save them." Sagetail's voice became bitter as he looked away. "Fallingfeather tried to save them by finding catmint in Twolegplace. But she was killed by rogues."

Nightpaw's eyes widened when she realized why Willowpaw and the others hated her so much now. They must blame Fallingfeather's death on cats like her. Yet not all rogues were bad. She had known a few that were friendly enough to even call friends.

"How is she?" Leafstar approached Sagetail when he began to pad away.

"She's doing fine," he replied. "Four kits can be difficult to deal with, but I'm sure she'll make a wonderful mother."

Leafstar let out a sigh of relief before saying something else that caught Nightpaw's attention, "I feel as though I made a mistake, by casting that loner out." Her voice had dropped to a whisper, but Nightpaw was able to hear loud and clear.

"Why would you say that?" Sagetail asked in surprise. "He did attack a Clanmate after all. You had every right to cast him out."

"I did but... I feel as if StarClan is angry for what I did," she sighed. "I just wish there was a simpler way to find an answer."

"Why don't you visit the MoonCave, I'm sure StarClan could share some information with you," he suggested.

Nightpaw's ears pricked forward at the mention of the MoonCave. She'd heard Cricketpaw mentioning it a few times. And even Petalwind had spoken of StarClan a few times. Yet she wasn't sure whether or not they were real. Why should she believe in something she'd never seen before?

She let out a sigh and shook her head as she returned to the apprentice's den. Maybe there was hope for her brother after all. But at this point he was probably long gone from the forest. Leafstar would have trouble finding him again if that were the case. And she doubted he would be in any hurry to return, after what Willowpaw had done to him.


	8. Eight: A New Friend

**Chapter Eight - A New Friend**

Flare purred as Storm taught her one of his hunting crouches. He'd been teaching her some of the fighting moves that Mintspot had taught him as well. Storm admired how willing she was to learn new things. And how quickly she learned them too. It had taken him two days to perfect the crouch he just taught her.

He didn't realize just how much he missed having company. Over the last two days he and Flare had become good friends. Rex was easy to get along with if one knew what to persuade him with. And together they ruled the park. No rogue dared venture close enough to see what they were capable of.

"You're a good teacher," she meowed once they had caught enough prey for all three of them. Storm had found that prey was plentiful in the park. If he knew the right places to look. The Twolegs left litter around the area that attracted mice. Which meant more prey for them to catch. "I wish you would've been around when we were younger, it would've been great to know those moves than."

"Well, I didn't always know these moves," he admitted, suddenly feeling embarrassed by her praise. "If it wasn't for my... old friends, I wouldn't have gotten this far." His eyes narrowed at the mention of his 'old friends'. The Clan was anything but friendly. He'd learned that the hard way.

"Hm, what happened to them, your friends?" He held back a sigh when she asked that. Somehow he knew that she would. But he was hoping she would avoid the subject.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he murmured. "Let's just say that we weren't friends in the end."

He left it there and trotted back over to where Rex was sleeping. They built a nest among the roots of the old oak tree. Rex managed to slither in between the roots and found a relaxing spot where the sun seemed to hit it every afternoon. He wasn't as ragged looking as he had been when they first met. In fact he was starting to get plump over the prey they found.

"You younglins' are so kind to me, I appreciate that," he sighed when Storm dropped a mouse at his paws.

"You deserve kind treatment, after what those rogues did to you," Flare murmured sympathetically. "The way they treated you was wrong."

Rex narrowed his eyes at the mention of the rogues. Storm felt his fur bristle slightly when he remembered what Flare had told him.

The rogues had taken Rex as their captive. They tried forcing him to join their group. But when they found out he was 'old' and 'useless', they tried killing him. When that didn't work they moved to torture. Storm had seen what they did to him, and his heart wrenched with pity.

 _I can't believe cats can be so cruel_ , he thought. Why would anyone do that to their own kind?

"I don't need your sympathy, but fresh-kill is nice every now and than." Rex left it at that and ate the mouse without another word.

Once he had his fill, Flare shared the rabbit they'd caught together. Storm felt warmth spread through him when he looked into Flare's bright green eyes. He'd never felt this way around another cat. Maybe Cricketpaw had provided him with that warmth, but she was nothing like Flare.

Her compassion for others was what Storm admired more than anything. She seemed to care so much for Rex, even though they weren't even related. She had risked her life to save him. That in itself was enough to earn a place in his heart.

"What?" Flare asked, suddenly noticing the fact that he was staring. Storm blinked and coughed before licking his chest fur in embarrassment. Amusement flashed in her eyes when she realized what he was doing. "You know it's rude to stare at someone," she sniffed and looked away.

"Really?" Storm's eyes widened and he felt heat rise to his ears. Then Flare suddenly burst into laughter at his reaction.

"You should see the look on your face!" she purred. "But really, if there's anything you want to say or ask, just do it."

Storm stifled a purr when she pushed him her share of the rabbit. He barely noticed how hungry he was. There was just something about her that made his heart feel lighter than air.

"Okay, maybe now I could teach you something a little different," he meowed in a mischievous voice. Flare narrowed her eyes for a moment before she sat up from her crouch. Storm tilted his head to one side as he thought of what he might do. Then an idea struck his mind.

Without warning he suddenly flung dirt into Flare's muzzle, causing her to jump back in surprise. Storm took the opportunity to whirl on her and pounce. While she was distracted he had her pinned to the ground, and used all his weight so she couldn't break free.

"Hey, what sort of trick is this?" she demanded in a yowl.

"The kind that teaches you how to wriggle out of anything," he replied, ignoring the paws jabbing at his chest. "Why aren't you using your claws?"

He frowned and let her go when she stopped struggling. Flare staggered back to her paws and shook off the dirt from her muzzle. That was when he noticed the look in her eyes. It was a haunted look, and one he knew all too well from his time in Twolegplace.

"I used to be a kittypet," she explained. "When I was a kitten they... they took me to the vet so that they could take away my claws. You have no idea how much it hurt, and how much it still does."

She shuddered and looked down at the ground. Horror surged through Storm when he realized what she meant by that. Flare had suffered from something he'd only heard stories of. How could Twolegs be so cruel? Especially to a kit?

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have pressed you."

Storm padded forward and brushed his muzzle against hers apologetically. To his surprise, she accepted his touch with a sigh of contentment.

"It wasn't your fault," she replied. "The Twolegs don't understand what it's like to survive without claws. I'm lucky to have gotten as far as I have."

He nodded as he remembered just how brave she was for facing him that day they met. He could have easily killed her if he was given the chance. But Flare had stood up to him when Rex wanted something to drink. If it wasn't for that act of bravery, they might never have become friends.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," he suddenly promised. "Not as long as I'm still living." Flare took him by surprise as she looked at him calmly.

"How can you make a promise that you can't keep?" she asked, her voice suddenly turning sly.

Storm blinked in surprise when he realized what he said. They barely knew each other and he had already vowed to protect her. Yet it felt like he had known her for moons. They were the same age, and Flare had so much more in common with him than he liked to admit.

"How about we protect each other," he suggested after giving it some thought. "And Rex, I know he could use it too."

Flare let out a purr of approval and nodded. "I'd like that," she meowed. "More than anything, I would."

He purred along with her. Perhaps one day they could become more than just friends. But for now, Storm was happy to have companions.

...

"Have you thought of names for them?"

Nightpaw leaned forward as Fallowtail licked one of her kits. She and Cricketpaw had decided to pay the nursery a visit after tending to the elders. Sure enough Fallowtail's kits were loud like Nightpaw had expected. But they were still helpless and blind. They wriggled about and tried searching for milk that Fallowtail guided them to.

Two of the kits were tabby like their mother, with white-tipped tails. Fallowtail had said that they were twins. Nightpaw had never seen twins before or even realized there could be such a thing. But apparently Fallowtail had proven her wrong. Another was a ginger tom like his mother, and the last was a ginger and white she-cat with an fiery red tail.

"I think the twins will be called Daisykit and Swallowkit," Fallowtail began as she looked at the kits seriously. "The tom will be known as Shadowkit, after his father." Nightpaw stiffened when she saw grief clouding Fallowtail's eyes. "And the last will be known as Firekit... her tail looks like it's on fire."

"They're going to be the best," Cricketpaw purred.

Fallowtail nodded in agreement and sighed in happiness. Despite the grief from losing Shadowpelt, their father, Fallowtail seemed more than happy to have her kits. Nightpaw wondered if she would be any different had Shadowpelt survived greencough.

"Leafstar's going to have her paws full when they're apprentices," Nightpaw murmured once they left the family alone.

"Yeah, but hopefully by than we'll be warriors," Cricketpaw replied with a look of pride in her eyes. "I hope by than I find someone I can truly care about... and maybe start a family with."

Nightpaw looked at her in surprise. Having kits seemed so alien to her. She remembered the way her brother mooned over Cricketpaw. Maybe if he had stayed than they would eventually become mates. But thanks to Willowpaw that was all ruined.

She sighed and padded away once Cricketpaw was gone. A moon had passed since her brother was banished. Nightpaw had missed out on the Gathering. More than anything she wanted to become part of that life, but Leafstar had refused to let her go. The ForestClan leader had said that the Clans might question her loyalty if she allowed Nightpaw to go. Some small part of her told her that it was Leafstar who didn't trust her. Leafstar may have allowed her to stay, but that didn't mean she would ever fully accept her.

The black apprentice didn't stop wandering until she had reached the leader's den. Her ears pricked forward as she heard Leafstar whispering to someone. She knew that eavesdropping was wrong. But lately Leafstar had been regretting casting out Storm. And Nightpaw wanted to know exactly why that was.

"I'm worried... what if I made the wrong choice?" the leader asked, her voice low with concern. "It seems like the other Clans are thriving... and Fallowtail's kits have only just been born. We should have at least one other queen in the nursery."

"Are you suggesting that you've made a mistake?" Sagetail's voice seeped through, and Nightpaw found herself leaning forward. He didn't approve of Leafstar's decision to cast out Storm. She remembered what he first said to Leafstar when it happened.

 _He thinks she made a mistake, and I agree with him_ , Nightpaw thought bitterly.

"No, I never make mistakes," Leafstar snapped. Nightpaw rolled her eyes at the leader's arrogance. "But lately I've been having dreams, and it feels like StarClan is telling me that I should find him again. Give him a second chance."

"If that is the case, than you must let him return," Sagetail meowed. "I believe that this is StarClan's way of telling you to amend your mistakes, before it gets out of hand."

Nightpaw heard the sound of pawsteps scuffling, and she backed away before she was noticed. Leafstar wanted to find her brother! She felt a sudden surge of hope flare within her. All she wanted was to have her only kin back. They deserved to train together now more than anything.

She paused and thought of how much she had changed over the moon. Storm would be shocked at how much had happened. Would he miss the Clan? Or would he hate them for what they had done to him? She hoped that he at least found some kind of forgiveness in his heart.

"What are _you_ so happy about?" Willowpaw's sneer made her stop in her tracks.

Nightpaw hated this apprentice. Despite the fact that Willowpaw had helped fight off that dog, she was still an arrogant cat. She wondered why Willowpaw even bothered trying to talk to her. It was obvious that Willowpaw hated her as much as she hated Willowpaw.

"I don't know," Nightpaw replied with a shrug. "Maybe the fact that there's new life in camp, and that's always something to celebrate, isn't it?" She did notice that everyone seemed happier. Including some of the cats who had argued with Leafstar about taking the loners in.

"That's nothing new," Willowpaw muttered with a roll of her eyes. "I'm surprised Leafstar let you stay, considering your brother tried to kill me."

Sudden anger swept through Nightpaw. She knew her brother. Storm wouldn't try and kill anyone just for the fun of it. Something told her that Willowpaw had taunted him into attacking her. That arrogant furball wanted her brother gone in the worst way, and now she was trying to do that same for Nightpaw.

"My brother wouldn't hurt anyone!" she spat, letting her fur bristle with outrage. "You're just so full of hatred that you can't see past the mistake you've made. You're just like Leafstar, if not worse!"

Willowpaw blinked in shock when Nightpaw said that. She didn't bother sticking around to hear what the apprentice would say next. By now she was fuming with anger, and she was afraid she might attack Willowpaw if she stayed there.

 _I won't fall for her tricks_ , Nightpaw told herself determinedly. _I'm nothing like her_.

* * *

 **AN: So there's the next chapter! I'm really excited about where this is going, but hopefully I'm not rushing it. Huge thanks to Snowfall16 for reviewing! Your feedback is very much appreciated :D**

 **Snowfall16 - Thanks again for reviewing, I really do appreciate, and I'm glad that you're enjoying this so far. I know that there were a few points that I probably missed and it may seem vague, but the next few chapters will hopefully flesh that out ^^ Furzepelt is explained a bit more in chapter four, so you'll be finding out about him soon. And I don't mind waiting, I'm just glad that you're reviewing at all! :)**


	9. Nine: Intruder

**Chapter Nine - Intruder**

For the next few days Storm had taught Flare everything he knew. By now she had the makings of a warrior, despite the fact that she didn't have claws. Instead of using them as her weapons, she found use of her teeth or the environment. She really was an impressive cat. Storm would have never thought of using the terrain as a weapon. She even managed to find branches she could whack him on the head with or trip him with when she found the opportunity. Even Rex had a hard time keeping up with her now, though the fact that he was an elder didn't help. He simply stayed where he was while watching them train.

"Those Twolegs are so strange," Flare meowed as she passed a robin over to Rex. She'd plucked the feathers out and even lined his nest with them. Her devotion to the elder told Storm that she would make a fine mother when the time came. "Did you see the way they were splashing around in the water earlier? They acted like it was actually fun! And to make things worse, they managed to get my pelt soaking wet."

"I told you not to go near them," he replied in a purr. "Twolegs will do anything to make things worse. Before you arrived one of the kits found me and tried picking me up. But I was too fast and climbed into a tree where they couldn't reach me." His chest swelled with pride as he remembered how nimble he was on those scrawny branches. Climbing back down was the hardest part. He had to dig his claws into the bark while sliding down carefully.

Flare flicked her tail across his chest playfully. He rolled his eyes and swatted it away before getting pounced by her. With it being dark out the Twolegs were gone, and they had the park to themselves. Storm loved moments like these. It meant spending more time with her, and getting to know her. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized that he actually cared about her.

"Mousebrain," she purred as he pushed her off.

"We can't all be the most intelligent cat in Twolegplace," he snorted.

Flare simply laughed at that and padded back to where Rex was sleeping. By now he had grown plump over the prey they brought him. He wasn't skin and bones anymore, but scars were still visible on his pelt. Storm wondered for a moment just what he had gone through over the moons.

"I still can't believe that he survived being captured by those rogues," she sighed. "If it were me they would have killed me in a heartbeat." She glanced at Storm warily. "The only reason I was able to make it out alive with him was because they were distracted. Twolegs discovered the abandoned nest they were using and destroyed it."

Storm eyed Rex warily when she said that. From what Flare had told him the rogues were ruthless. And from the intelligence he'd gathered a moon ago, they plotted sacrifices. Storm had to wonder just what those sacrifices were for. He shuddered to think of what would happen to them.

Suddenly Rex sprang to his paws as his eyes flashed open. Storm jumped at the sudden movement and stared at the old tom in surprise. His hackles were standing on end as he glared at the darkness in front of them.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Intruder," Rex replied, his claws unsheathing as he continued glaring ahead.

Just as Rex had said that, Storm made out a shape through the darkness. His heart nearly skipped a beat when he picked up a familiar scent. Flare's fur was beginning to bristle just as the figure in the distance began to appear before them.

"Stormpaw?" Blood roared in his ears. Flare looked at Storm in surprise when that familiar voice spoke. He recognized that voice anywhere, and he couldn't believe that they had found him so quickly. "I thought it was you!" Cricketpaw leaped out of the darkness and stared at Storm hopefully. "I missed you so much!" Then her eyes narrowed when she spotted Flare and Rex.

"Cricketpaw, what are you doing here?" he demanded, letting anger seep through his voice.

The last thing he expected was to be found by a Clan cat. All the anger from earlier suddenly returned as he glared at Cricketpaw. Though deep down he was actually relieved to see her. She was one of the few cats in the Clan he could call a friend.

"I was looking for you," she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "The Clan... it isn't the same without you. And Leafstar's beginning to think she made a mistake by banishing you."

"Clan? You're telling me that you were from a Clan?" Flare stared at Storm in disbelief. His ears flattened when he realized that she held a look of betrayal in her eyes.

"Look, I was part of the Clan." He spat out the words, causing both Flare and Cricketpaw to flinch. "But someone decided to trick me, which led to Leafstar banishing me." He glared at Cricketpaw once he said that. "I'm not going back. I can't, no after what happened."

Cricketpaw's eyes narrowed for a moment. Then she looked at Storm in shock when she realized who he was talking about. "It was Willowpaw, wasn't it?" she asked in a whisper.

Storm simply nodded in response and left it at that. He truly did want nothing to do with the Clan anymore. Living with Flare had changed him, and maybe for the better. Yet he could still see the hurt in Cricketpaw's eyes as he looked at her. She had gone out of the way to find him. Maybe she did care about him more than he realized.

"I don't care who it was," he snapped. "I'm not going back. Leafstar made her decision clear when she banished me, and I've made my decision clear."

Cricketpaw stared at Storm in disbelief. He could feel the weight of his words on his shoulders. She was obviously expecting him to run back to the Clan with her. But his refusal made her stop dead in her tracks. There was no way he could return to the Clan. Not after finding Flare and discovering they had so much in common. Storm doubted that Flare would want to join the Clan, not when she'd heard so many horror stories about them.

"I see," Cricketpaw murmured. "So I guess I'll let Leafstar know you're not going back." She turned and began to pad away before looking back at Storm. "You should know that Willowpaw's always been a jerk around everyone. It isn't just you she hates, and you're abandoning your sister." Her words sent shivers of rage through Storm as she stalked away from the park. It wasn't because he was angry with her. He was angry with himself, because she was right.

 _I'm abandoning her_ , he thought bitterly. But Nightpaw could take care of herself by now. Surely Petalwind would have taught her more than she needed to know? Storm could only hope that was the case. The last thing he wanted was to feel responsible for anything that might happen to her. Tension crackled in the air once Cricketpaw was gone. Storm could feel Flare's piercing gaze on his pelt, while Rex had returned to his nest after their confrontation.

"You were part of a Clan?" Flare asked, her voice cracking as she looked at Storm. He didn't need to know that she was frustrated with him. Keeping that part of his life a secret probably hurt her in more ways than one. And he regretted not telling her.

"Only for a short time," he replied, his voice becoming bitter. Flare tilted her head to one side as he explained himself, "I wanted to be part of the Clan at one time. But as I was training, an apprentice decided to make it seem like I attacked her. Truthfully I did, but only because she wouldn't stop mocking me or my sister. She wanted us gone, and because of that, the leader banished me and stripped me of my name."

Flare took him by surprise by rubbing herself against him, almost as if to apologize. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "That must have been difficult, going through something like that."

Relief washed over his shoulders when he realized that she forgave him. He couldn't imagine what his life would be like had they not met. In truth if it wasn't for Leafstar that might not have ever happened. In some ways leaving the Clan was a good thing. Now he could focus on staying here and providing protection for Flare and Rex. This was their home now, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

...

Fascination crawled through Nightpaw when she eyed the herbs that were placed along Sagetail's den. He kept them organized in a neat line so that none of the leaves were touching. In the back of the den was a small pool where she knew to dip moss in now when she needed to. The ground itself was covered in soft grass that felt cool and comforting under her paws. The only nest Nightpaw could make out was the one Sagetail used to sleep in. And it didn't look all that comfortable.

"What do you want me to do?" Nightpaw asked as she sniffed at the bitter-tasting herbs. Sagetail had asked for her specifically when she woke up that morning. She wasn't sure why, but she had a feeling that he needed help in some way.

"I'd like you to tell me what these herbs are used for, and if you can name them," he replied, glancing at the plants as he spoke. Nightpaw stared at him in surprise before glancing back at the herbs. She recognized a few of them from her first visit to the den. Sagetail had told her what they were used for when she had asked.

"Well, I recognize this one," she mewed, pointing her tail to the plant that had hairy looking leaves. "It's called borage, right?" She looked back at Sagetail, who nodded in approval. "And it's used for... reducing fevers and for the queens who are nursing, because it helps them produce more milk."

Sagetail let out a purr when she described the use for borage. Though she didn't know why he would want her to know that. It seemed like something most cats would know about. Next he had her list the other herbs he had laying out. Nightpaw had described them almost perfectly, remembering what he had told her during her first visit. Once she was finished she felt confusion sweep through her. He was testing her, and she knew it. But the question was, why?

"Nightpaw, I believe you would make a fine medicine cat if you were given the chance," he told her after giving it some thought. "You already know many of the herbs that I have out here, and I'm sure you would learn more during your training."

Nightpaw blinked in surprise when she realized what he was suggesting. A medicine cat was important to the Clan. Yet she couldn't see herself walking down that path. None of the Clan trusted her enough to let her train properly. All because her brother had attacked Willowpaw.

"I don't know if that's going to happen," she murmured. "The Clan won't ever accept me if you take me on as an apprentice."

"Oh, I'm sure they will if I have anything to say to that," he reassured her. "Leafstar wouldn't dare turn down her own medicine cat, especially when she knows she has already made one mistake."

 _She'd never admit that she did though_ , Nightpaw thought. Leafstar's pride was worse than Nightpaw had imagined. She made Willowpaw look good. Yet somehow Nightpaw wasn't too surprised by that. She had already guessed that many Clan cats were too proud to admit their mistakes.

"I hope you're right about that," Nightpaw sighed. She didn't know whether or not training as a medicine cat would be a good thing. But something told her it was the right thing.


	10. Ten: Ready Or Not

**Chapter Ten - Ready Or Not**

It was well past dawn when Storm was woken up to a sound. His ears pricked forward in alarm when he recognized Flare's wail. Without a second thought he jumped to his paws and raced over to the tree where Rex normally slept. Storm's eyes widened when he realized what had upset Flare so much.

Rex lay sprawled out on the root of the tree. His eyes were half opened, and he wasn't moving. It didn't take Storm long to realize that Rex was dead. He'd recognized the sight of death from when he was a kit. Seeing it now sent shivers down Storm's spine. Rex had lived a long life. And now he had died peacefully. That was more than anyone could ever ask for.

"He saved me, even though I helped him escape," Flare rasped as she touched her nose to his pelt. "Those rogues would have killed me if he hadn't stopped them. I owed him my life."

"He was a good cat," Storm murmured sympathetically. Though he barely knew Rex, Storm had understood what it was like to lose someone he cared about. He'd already lost his sister and the Clan that took him in. And though he barely knew his mother, he had lost her as well.

"He'll find a place among the stars, I'm sure of it." Flare looked at the sky as the sun began to slowly rise. Soon it would be time for them to hide; the last thing Storm wanted was to be caught by Twolegs. "We need to bury him around here, he loved the park and the fact that you took him in."

Storm nodded in agreement. Though he wasn't too sure what to say to that. Rex would never have survived had he not taken him and Flare in. Storm could still remember the way Flare had acted when they first met. She used her charm to get her way, and of course it had worked.

He followed Flare to where she planned on burying him. Sure enough she found a spot under the roots. It was wide enough and deep enough that they could place his body inside. The hardest part was covering it up to keep anything from getting in. Flare finished the job by placing leaves and moss from his old nest onto the grave. Storm bowed his head once she was finished. If Rex had been part of the Clan than maybe he would have lived longer.

 _I don't want to put Flare's life in danger_ , he thought as he remembered how much Willowpaw had hated him. Storm could already imagine the she-cat acting up if Flare were to join the Clan. He doubted she would be willing to anyways. From what he gathered Flare wasn't too fond of the Clans. And maybe it was better that way.

"May you find peace and good hunting, where ever you go," Flare sighed as the Twolegs began to arrive. Storm stiffened when he heard a shrill cry coming from behind. He turned around in time to see a chubby looking small Twoleg running towards them. Flare let out a hiss and dove into the roots they hadn't buried in. Storm was quick to follow, and they waited there until they were certain the kit was gone. "I hope they don't disturb his grave," she added once there was silence.

"They won't even notice it," Storm reassured her. "Twolegs can be more than just mousebrained. Knowing them they probably walked by and didn't even notice."

Flare looked at him doubtfully, but luckily she didn't say anything. Once the kit was gone they peered outside to see that clouds had gathered across the sky. It was hazy out, and something told Storm that rain was on it's way. He sat outside their small makeshift nest and watched the Twolegs nearby. They truly were strange creatures.

That was when Storm noticed something strange in the distance. His eyes widened when he saw the lithe form of Cricketpaw standing nearby. She wasn't moving like he expected her to when the Twolegs came by. Instead she sat there and acted as though nothing was wrong. And for a moment, Storm was tempted to yowl at her for acting like such a mousebrained kit. But then he stopped himself when he saw the look in her eyes.

 _Why aren't you going back to the Clan_? he wondered. Cricketpaw bowed her head and padded on, and to Storm's shock, he saw another cat with her. This one was a dark brown she-cat, with piercing amber eyes and a scar right above her left eye. Storm felt his hackles rise almost instantly when he realized she was one of the rogues he'd seen before. What was Cricketpaw doing there? And with that rogue of all cats? Didn't she know just how dangerous they were?

"Is something wrong?" Flare asked when she noticed he was staring off into space. Storm blinked and shook his head. He wasn't sure if he should answer her properly. At least not until he was certain that Cricketpaw was working with the rogues rather than against them.

"Stay here. There's something I need to do," he sighed as he got to his paws. By now the rain had started, and most of the Twolegs were running for cover. He and Flare were protected by a canopy of thick oak leaves, of which he was more than thankful for. "And I'm not going to like it."

The ginger she-cat stared at him in disbelief as he padded away. Immediately his pelt became soaked as he bounded towards the path Cricketpaw and that rogue had taken. Though the rain washed their scents away, Storm was still able to follow where they had gone. Something told him it was near one of the alleyways. The rogues liked to gather there during the night, but often he could see them heading there during the day.

Storm padded along the path carefully until he stopped near a couple of boxes that were piled together. His ears pricked forward when he saw a group of rogues gathered in one of the alleys. Sure enough he realized that this was more than just a meeting. Their stench was almost overwhelming, and Storm resisted the urge to gag.

"We are gathered here today to welcome our newest member, Cricket." Storm gaped when he saw the huge black tom from his first trip to the park. He had piercing green eyes, and scars raked across his pelt. But that wasn't what terrified Storm the most. It was the way he stared at Cricketpaw hungrily that scared Storm. "Let us see just how strong you really are."

Faster than anyone could react, the dark brown she-cat from earlier lunged at Cricketpaw. Horror seared through Storm as he watched the she-cat strike at Cricketpaw mercilessly. Cricketpaw winced every time she was hit. But to Storm's surprise, she didn't fight back. Instead she continued staring at the black tom as if daring him to challenge her himself. The black tom didn't look amused by her reaction.

"Olive, Rogue, take this cat and teach her a lesson," the tom ordered after glaring at her. "The rest of you, I want to speak with."

Storm pressed on and followed the two cats the tom had called out. His pelt was standing on end despite the rain that coated it. Fear was starting to take over as he followed them towards a darker area of Twolegplace. The two rogues didn't stop until they had reached the edge of a yard. The grass here was taller than everywhere else, and Storm could see windows that were broken in a few places of the nest. Something told him that this nest had long since been abandoned.

"What are we doing out here?" Cricketpaw asked warily. She looked more unnerved than ever, and she had every right to. Storm was shocked that she had agreed to meet with the rogues at all. She was smarter than this. He knew she was up to something that would teach the rogues a lesson, hopefully.

"Striker wants us to prepare for the sacrifice that will happen tonight," the tortoiseshell she-cat replied in a blunt tone. "The best way to do that is to prepare you for what will happen."

Now Cricketpaw's eyes showed real fear. Storm suddenly understood why. He'd heard the rogues were taking cats captive just for sacrifice rituals. No one was sure why they did it, but he had a feeling they were both about to find out.

"First, we need to start a fire," the black and white tom with stripes along his tail meowed. Storm felt his fur bristle once again. He knew nothing could would come out of this. Somehow, he had to figure out a way to get Cricketpaw out of there. One way or another, he would die trying.

...

"Letting a loner become a medicine cat?" Furzepelt was the first cat to speak out against Sagetail's suggestion. He had called the Clan together after speaking with Leafstar. At first everyone was surprised by his suggestion. Nightpaw wasn't expecting them to welcome her with open paws. In fact she had braced herself for any criticism that would follow. "I've heard you say some crazy things, but this by far is the craziest," Furzepelt spat as he glared at Sagetail.

"That's enough, Furzepelt," Leafstar hissed. "Sagetail has already told me that Nightpaw knows most of the herbs he uses," she went on as the Clan erupted into hushed whispers. "He believes that she would make a fine apprentice, if you all just gave her a chance."

"I think I'd rather become a rogue myself than let that fleabag heal my wounds," Willowpaw snarled. Her remark earned a cuff over the ears by Mintspot. Nightpaw blinked at him gratefully, though she didn't need him reminding Willowpaw where her place was.

"Sagetail needs an apprentice," Petalwind pointed out. Nightpaw was more than surprised when her mentor stood up for her. "Don't you think that giving her a chance is the least we could do?"

Relief washed over Nightpaw as cats began to murmur in agreement. She was thankful that Petalwind spoke up for her. The pale ginger she-cat looked at her calmly and gave the faintest nods of approval. She resisted the urge to purr in triumph when she realized that some cats cared for her.

"Sagetail, when the half moon is upon us I expect you to take Nightpaw to the Mooncave," Leafstar told the medicine cat. "You are both compassionate and patient towards even the most stubborn cat, and I expect you to pass on your knowledge to Nightpaw."

Nightpaw restrained a purr as she touched noses with Sagetail. The brown and white tom looked just as happy as she felt. This was one change she had not expected. Whether or not she was ready for that change, she wasn't sure. But the happy moment wasn't going to last. Nightpaw was ready to say something else when she saw Dustpaw bounding towards the group.

"I think Cricketpaw's gone missing," he announced while gasping for breath. Almost at once anxiety rippled through the crowd. Nightpaw felt her fur bristling slightly when she realized what that meant. "We were out hunting and I didn't realize she was gone until I got back to our meeting place," he explained when Leafstar had asked what happened.

Fear wrenched at Nightpaw's heart. She remembered hearing stories about cats disappearing in Twolegplace. Rogues were often blamed for their disappearances. And in some instances, those disappearances led to the sacrifice of those who were taken. She could only hope that wasn't the case for Cricketpaw.

"I'm sending out a patrol to find her," Ravenflight meowed, determination gleaming in her eyes. Leafstar eyed her warily before nodding in agreement.

"Check all the borders, and see if you can find her scent," Leafstar told her. Just as she said that it started to rain. Nightpaw held back a groan when she realized that would take away any hope of picking up Cricketpaw's scent.

One way or another, the Clan had to find Cricketpaw. Nightpaw just hoped that her disappearance didn't have anything to do with Storm's banishment. She was already aware that the two had liked each other. But now that Storm was gone, they had nothing. Nightpaw sent a silent prayer that Cricketpaw would be found. She wasn't sure how the Clan would react if anything happened to the other apprentice.

* * *

 **AN: I'm having so much fun with this story :) And even though I'm not getting many reviews, I will continue writing! Also, huge thanks to Snowfall16 for reviewing, I really appreciate your feedback :D**

 **Snowfall16 - XD It's okay, I tend to do the same thing ^^ And I'm glad you like the story so much; I do have a tendency to overlook simple grammatical errors like that D: Hopefully the issue won't continue, but I can't make any promises ;) Forgot to add that my chapters usually will range between a thousand to three thousand depending on how much detail I put in :)  
**


	11. Eleven: Sacrifice

**Chapter Eleven - Sacrifice**

It wasn't until late at night that Storm had found the band of rogues again. He made sure that Flare wasn't there to watch the entire scene. Something told him that nothing good would come out of her being there. These were the same rogues that had attacked her, he was sure of that.

Storm found himself standing near one of the many alleyways that skirted Twolegplace. He was amazed that Twolegs never noticed the fires that were lit here. What bothered him was that the rogues knew how to create fire and keep it from spreading. That sort of weapon could prove dangerous, especially to those living in the forest. His eyes narrowed when he saw Cricketpaw in the center of the group.

She looked terrified. Just judging by how huge her eyes were as she stared at the fire told him everything. She didn't want this. Somehow the rogues had convinced her to follow them. And now she was going to pay the price.

"Cats of the city!" The black tom from earlier was standing on top of boxes that were stacked together. Storm would have guessed that the rogues had put them together, but they were so high that such a task would have been impossible. "I am pleased to bring you a sacrifice for the new moon! Our ancestors will be pleased, this one is a Clan cat." A shudder ran down Storm's back when the rogues let out wails of agreement. It was an eerie sound, and it looked as though they were dancing among the flames that burned in the pit they created. "With this sacrifice we will be made stronger, and together we will destroy the very cats that threaten our future."

The black tom glared at Cricketpaw as she dropped down to a crouch. Her eyes were wild with fear as she looked at them. All of the rogues had her surrounded. She had no chance of escape unless Storm dropped in. He clenched his teeth and did the only thing he could think of.

"Leave her alone!" he yowled, jumping out of his hiding place. He leaped without thinking. The rogues jumped back in surprise when he landed beside Cricketpaw, ignoring the look of surprise she gave him. "She's done nothing to hurt you," he added, glaring at the rogues that now surrounded him.

"Foolish kit," the black tom sneered. "You should know better than to interfere with the ritual."

He moved faster than Storm could react. With one quick leap the black tom managed to knock Storm aside before pressing on Cricketpaw. His chest heaved with effort as he struggled back to his paws. By now the crowd was humming with anticipation as the black tom led Cricketpaw towards the fire.

"May the ancestors watch over us as we provide them with the blood they need," the dark brown she-cat Storm had seen earlier meowed.

Storm held back a wail of horror as he watched the black tom slice his claws across Cricketpaw's throat. Her body fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Storm's ears flattened when he realized that it was all over. The only other cat he had cared for in the Clan was gone.

He could only watch on in despair as the rogues tossed her body into the fire. The flames seemed to dance with joy at their newest victim. Sparks flew into the night sky, and one of them happened to land on Storm, causing him to jump and hiss in pain.

"What should we do with this kit?" asked the tortoiseshell she-cat from earlier. "He has seen too much."

"Let him send the Clans a warning," the black tom replied in a growl of contentment. "We are stronger now, stronger than we ever have been. Even if he were to help the Clans, it wouldn't be enough."

All Storm could do was glare at them. He'd never felt more helpless than now. By now the rain had started to pick up again, and the flames were beginning to die. Storm stayed where he was as the rogues seemed to melt into the shadows.

"I won't let you get away with this," he snarled, feeling nothing but hatred towards this cat.

"Poor little kit," the black tom sneered. "I imagine you must feel so helpless, watching your friend die. But you will continue watching cats die, until we finally rule this place and the forest. That is the promise that I make. Everyone will eventually bow to me as their leader."

Storm felt his hackles rise as the black tom vanished into the rain. A flash of lightning suddenly streaked across the sky, causing Storm to jump once again. He was alone now. Cricketpaw's remains could be seen in what was left of the fire, but Storm felt too sickened to look at them.

 _I will never forgive them for this_ , he thought bitterly.

"Storm!" He flinched when he heard Flare's voice over the pouring rain. Storm turned in time to see her bounding towards him. "What- What in the stars are you doing out here? I was so worried something happened to you!" Then she noticed the wounds on his shoulders where the tom had attacked. Storm was ready to defend himself when she spotted the fire that was once burning. "Is that..." Flare broke off when she realized what was among the ashes.

"He killed her without any thought," Storm rasped, staring down at his paws as grief started to wash over him. "She didn't deserve to die like this."

He couldn't help but flinch again when Flare pressed herself against him comfortingly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Storm closed his eyes and welcomed her warmth. Even with Flare at his side, he felt nothing but cold sorrow. What was he going to tell the Clan? They would blame him for Cricketpaw's death. Truthfully he would blame himself for what had happened. He should have gone with her when she asked him to.

"I have to go back," he murmured, feeling a lump form in his throat. He swallowed as he thought of the way the Clan would react. "I have to tell them what happened."

"You're not going back to the park, are you?" Flare suddenly asked.

"I don't know if I can," he admitted. Storm bowed his head as he remembered the way Cricketpaw had treated him. She had been such a good friend. He couldn't just forget what she had done for him. "They have a right to know what danger they're in."

Flare seemed to contemplate over his decision for a few heartbeats. Another streak of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the alley. Storm felt a shudder run down his back once again. He had to leave this place. He knew the rogues were watching them.

"Then I'm going with you," Flare told him. Storm looked at her in disbelief as she flicked her tail across his shoulder. "I can't let you do this alone. If you're going back, than you need someone who can speak up for you."

Her bravery astounded him. If the Clan decided that she was a threat, they could easily attack her. Storm wouldn't know what to do if they did. But he knew that having Flare by his side gave him strength. He just wished he had the same bravery she did.

...

"Is there any sign of her?"

Dustpaw's anxiety made Nightpaw's heart wrench with pity. She knew all too well what it was like to lose her sibling. Dustpaw must be feeling the same amount of grief that she felt. Patrols had returned with no information on Cricketpaw's whereabouts. Much to Nightpaw's disappointment, the rain had washed away her scent. Any hope of tracking her down was ruined.

"We'll find her, don't worry," Leafstar reassured him.

Even Nightpaw could hear the doubt in her voice. She looked down at her paws, remembering the way Leafstar had acted when she told Nightpaw about Storm's betrayal. She had acted so cold about it. But now she truly was anxious to find out where the apprentice had gone.

"The last place I checked for her scent was by Twolegplace," Bouncefoot, a black and white tom, explained as he returned with his patrol. Nightpaw didn't know him too well, but she was aware that he had spoken out during Leafstar's acceptance towards the loners. "Her scent was washed away by the rain though, I couldn't find any trace of her."

Leafstar looked at Bouncefoot thoughtfully before glancing at Nightpaw. She wondered for a moment what was on the leader's mind when Leafstar flicked her tail to her. Nightpaw blinked before trotting over to the ForestClan leader.

"You know your brother better than any of us," Leafstar began, casting a look towards the Clan gathered around her. "Cricketpaw might have gone looking for him, and if she has, than it is possible that he would know where she is."

Nightpaw's lip curled in annoyance when she realized what Leafstar was suggesting. Did she expect Nightpaw to just waltz over to her brother and beg for him to return? She doubted Storm would be in any hurry to run back to the Clan. Especially after the way Willowpaw had treated him.

"I'm not sure if bringing him back is a good idea," she admitted, feeling slightly guilty at saying that.

She had felt hopeful when Leafstar began to regret her decision about casting him out. But now she understood that her brother was different from her. He would have moved on and found a better life. Hopefully one that wouldn't involve so much fighting.

"You must find him." Leafstar's voice sent a chill down Nightpaw's back. She looked at her leader coldly as Leafstar looked away. "I know that what I did was a mistake. There must be a way to make things right again."

Guilt weighed down in Leafstar's voice. Nightpaw hadn't realized until now that something must be wrong. She glanced around and noticed that everyone was staring at Leafstar expectantly.

"I'm going to find Cricketpaw in Twolegplace," Nightpaw suddenly announced. She felt her heart racing as she thought of the fact that she had only just become a medicine cat apprentice. "I want Dustpaw, Ryewhisker and Petalwind to go with me." She nodded to Ryewhisker; the creamy brown tom looked at her in disbelief as she padded towards the thorn tunnel.

"Who died and made you Clan leader?" Willowpaw demanded, her lips curling with anger as she glared at Nightpaw.

Dustpaw reacted faster than Nightpaw would have ever expected. He rounded on Willowpaw and sent her flying by hitting her muzzle with his paw.

"We're going to find my sister, you foxhearted mousebrain! And if I know Cricketpaw, she went out to find Stormpaw, no thanks to you."

Willowpaw's eyes widened in disbelief when Dustpaw turned around and left it at that. Nightpaw was just as surprised to hear him say that, and to hear him call Storm by his apprentice name. She never expected anyone to stand up for her brother.

 _Then again, he's worried about his sister_ , Nightpaw reminded himself. _He knows that Cricketpaw liked Storm_.

"I'm going to find her," Nightpaw promised him. "We all will, together."

Petalwind purred and flicked her tail across Nightpaw's shoulder when she said that. "I'm proud of you," she murmured as Nightpaw led the way. "You've made the right decision by become a medicine cat apprentice."

Nightpaw held back a purr at her old mentor's praise. She would miss having Petalwind as a mentor. The pale ginger she-cat had always been kind and gentle towards her. But she knew that she had made the right decision. Joining the Clan really had been the best decision she had ever made, even if she missed her brother.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks to dalonadon71201 for reviewing! I really appreciate it :D Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter, I truly do appreciate getting your feedback!**


	12. Twelve: Lost and Found

**Chapter Twelve - Lost and Found**

Storm led the way towards the park once he and Flare had left the alley. There was no way he could bury Cricketpaw. The grief he felt earlier suddenly came rushing back; seeing her body laying there in the ashes was too painful.

By now the rain had finally stopped. The wind was what made things worse for them. Flare pressed herself against Storm as the wind raged on. Twoleg garbage flew past them. Storm had to jump in order to avoid a trash can that was rolling down the street.

"The wind will drive away the rain," Flare murmured as they reached the park.

"I sure hope so," Storm replied.

Though truthfully he wanted the rain to wash away any evidence of what had happened. He didn't want to remember seeing Cricketpaw die right in front of his eyes. Or watching her body burn in the fire. It was a horrific sight, and one he wouldn't forget any time soon.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Flare's question caught him off guard. Storm looked at her warily before shaking his head.

"She was a friend," he explained, shaking with anger and grief as he pictured how lively and friendly Cricketpaw had been. "She was the first one to greet us with welcome paws... everyone else just expected us to learn the ways of the Clan instantly."

"You feel responsible for her death." Storm stiffened when Flare said that.

More than anything he felt responsible for what had happened. He should have gone with Cricketpaw when she asked him to go back. He should have made sure she went back to the forest. Instead he let his anger and frustration towards the Clan cloud his judgement.

"I just wish there was something I could have done," he admitted. "Those rogues reacted so quickly... I didn't have time to fix things."

Flare suddenly pressed herself against him comfortingly. Storm drew in her scent and sighed, feeling more confused and alone than ever.

"It wasn't your fault," she whispered. "Some things are just out of your control."

Storm blinked in surprise at her wisdom. She did have a good point. If anything this might explain why he had tried so hard to save Cricketpaw. Maybe this was StarClan's way of telling him it was time to return.

 _A storm will bring the Clans together in a time of darkness, or tear them apart_... Storm felt his fur bristle when he heard those words again. Was he meant to destroy the Clans? He shook his head and tried to push the thoughts away.

"Thank you, for being here with me," he rasped, remembering the first time they had met. At first he wasn't sure what to make of this bold she-cat. But soon she had wormed her way into his heart. He didn't want to admit it, but he loved Flare. In more ways than one.

Flare sighed as she flicked her tail across his shoulder. If there was one thing he had learned from her, it was that she devoted herself to one task: Protecting the ones she cared about. Storm knew that if he joined the Clan, she would likely go back to Twolegplace. She didn't trust the Clans as far as he knew, and he couldn't blame her for that.

"I understand that you want to go back," she murmured. "I'll go with you."

Storm looked at her in disbelief, but before he could say anything a scent reached his lungs. His ears pricked forward in alarm; the rain made it hard to pick out what the scent was. But it smelled familiar. He was worried the rogues might have found them again, and all at once memories of Cricketpaw's death came rushing back.

"Thank you," he whispered, pressing his muzzle against hers. "You have no idea how much that means to me." Flare purred in response, but when Storm pulled back she looked at him in confusion. "But are you sure that's a good idea? What if they don't accept you?"

Determination lit in Flare's eyes, reminding him once again of just how much she had already proven herself. "I'll make them accept me, if I have to."

He held back a purr of amusement at the sight of her adjusting to Clan life. Something told him she would fit in just fine.

They continued making their way down the park, until Storm stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed in alarm when he picked up a familiar scent. Storm gave Flare one quick look before rushing forward towards the scent. It reminded him all too much of Cricketpaw's scent.

"Storm!" He skidded to a halt when he nearly tackled Nightpaw to the ground. Nightpaw gaped when she realized it really was her brother. "Storm, thank StarClan you're here."

His eyes narrowed when he saw Dustpaw, Ryewhisker and Petalwind standing behind Nightpaw. The three cats suddenly looked uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. Clearly they were still remembering the fact that Leafstar had banished him.

"Nightpaw, what are you doing here?" he demanded, letting his fur bristle slightly when he caught sight of Flare. She was hiding in a nearby bush, eyes wide with panic as she saw the three other ForestClan cats.

"We came here to look for you," Nightpaw explained. Her tail flicked towards Dustpaw, whose ears flattened as he approached Storm.

"My sister's gone missing," Dustpaw growled, his voice low and threatening. "We suspected she might have gone looking for you."

Storm stiffened at the mention of Cricketpaw. Dustpaw had no idea just how right he was. But Storm was afraid of how he would react when he told the older apprentice the truth. Cricketpaw was gone. And nothing they did would bring her back.

He bowed his head after feeling shame crawl through him. Storm _knew_ that there was something he could have done to save her. But he was terrified, terrified of what the rogues would do. They would call him a coward.

"I'm afraid that Cricketpaw is... dead," he rasped, finally looking up at Dustpaw. The light brown tabby tom's eyes widened in despair. "I tried to save her, really I did... but the rogues had her surrounded, and they would've killed me too."

Dustpaw took him by surprise by lunging at him. Storm didn't bother fighting back when Dustpaw suddenly lashed out at him. Pain seared his cheek when Dustpaw's claws scored deep marks on it.

"You should have let yourself die, you coward!" Dustpaw screeched.

Storm resisted the urge to fight back; his teeth were grinding together in pain as Dustpaw continued striking his claws at him. No one bothered to push Dustpaw off either. Everyone just stood there, rigid with shock until something finally knocked Dustpaw off his paws.

"Leave him alone, you low-life piece of crowfood!" Flare spat once she had pushed Dustpaw away. "He said he did everything he could. I've seen what those rogues are capable of, and he's lucky to have made it out alive."

Dustpaw spat out blood as he got back to his paws. By the time he did Storm was leaning against Flare, grateful for her support once again.

Silence followed as Storm glared at Dustpaw, matching his ferocity with frustration. He deserved some kind of punishment for what had happened to Cricketpaw. It _was_ his fault that she was dead. Dustpaw deserved to do more than just hurt him for what he couldn't do.

"I think it's best we take you to the Clan," Petalwind murmured thoughtfully. She glanced at Dustpaw sympathetically. "He's telling the truth. Cricketpaw would have returned to the Clan by now if she was still alive."

Dustpaw was ready to argue when he thought better of it. Instead he clamped his jaw shut and glowered at Storm. An icy chill swept over Storm's back as Ryewhisker rounded up his apprentice. Petalwind stayed in the back of the group while Flare padded alongside Storm.

"Are you sure you can keep going? You've got some nasty wounds," Flare whispered, studying the marks Dustpaw had given him.

"I'll be fine," Storm hissed, wincing in pain as he said that. "I just hate the fact that they expect me to go back, especially after the way they treated me."

Flare looked at Storm in surprise, but luckily she didn't say anything. They padded on in silence as the group headed towards the forest. Storm was reluctant to admit that part of him wanted to go back. More than anything he wanted to continue in his warrior training. But the stubborn part of him refused to forgive Willowpaw for what she had done.

It wasn't long before the familiar scent of ForestClan hit Storm's lungs. He felt his fur bristle slightly as memories of Willowpaw's attack struck him. She would be there when they arrived. That much Storm knew. He also knew she would likely blame him for Cricketpaw's death, just like Dustpaw had.

 _And I deserve every bit of it_ , he thought bitterly.

"You're back sooner than I expected." Storm stiffened when he recognized Leafstar's voice. "Is Cricketpaw with you?" Flare pressed herself against Storm's flank as the ForestClan leader emerged from the thorn tunnel. He could pick up her fear scent, but luckily no one else seemed to notice.

"I'm afraid she died while in Twolegplace," Petalwind meowed before Dustpaw or Storm could explain.

Storm could feel anger radiating from Dustpaw. Fortunately he didn't dare say a word. Leafstar's eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Storm and Flare. He half expected her to send him away before he had a chance to explain himself.

"Who is this?" she demanded, looking coldly at Flare.

"She's a good friend of mine," Storm replied without hesitation. "And I won't be going back unless you let her join with me."

He met Leafstar's gaze, feeling a sudden rush of determination, despite the shocked looks he received from Nightpaw and Petalwind. Even Flare looked a little surprised by the way he'd spoken up for her.

Leafstar seemed to take his words into consideration. An awkward silence fell upon them, and suddenly the tension in the air returned. Storm was all too aware that Leafstar had every right to turn him down. He wouldn't mind it.

 _I'd just find another place to live, far away from those rogues_ , he told himself. _Somewhere Flare and I could live together_.

"Very well," Leafstar finally murmured, breaking their staring contest. "I must speak with my senior warriors before making any decision, but for now you should have those wounds treated." She flicked her tail pointedly at the wounds Dustpaw had given Storm.

He couldn't help but flinch as Petalwind herded them into the thorn tunnel. Once again the thorns snared his pelt, but he didn't feel any pain like he expected. He could hear Flare hissing in surprise, and already guessed that the same thing had happened to her.

Anxiety coursed through Storm when they arrived in the clearing. It wasn't surprising to see every cat standing outside, staring at him in disbelief and anger. None of them said anything though. Storm had already suspected that Leafstar knew this would happen. She didn't look the least bit surprised when she had seen him with the patrol.

"She's letting _another_ loner join the Clan," he heard Furzepelt scoff. "I should have known. Leafstar wants to make us the laughingstock of the Clans."

"Would you shut up already?" Storm blinked in surprise when he heard Ryewhisker speak up. The creamy brown tom had stalked towards the group, glaring at Furzepelt when he spoke. "All you've ever done is taunt our mother, and I'm tired of it! What has she ever done to you?"

Storm could only gape at the sight until he was finally led towards the medicine cat's den. No cat said a word, but he could still see Ryewhisker and Furzepelt arguing. Something told him that this was one battle he wanted nothing to do with.

Sure enough Sagetail was already waiting inside when they arrived. Storm had only seen the medicine cat once or twice before. The brown and white tom was actually more intimidating than Storm wanted to admit. But having Flare beside him gave him the strength he needed.

"It's good to see you again," Sagetail rasped as he looked between Storm and Nightpaw. Storm tilted his head to one side when he saw his sister stand beside the medicine cat. "Nightpaw, fetch me some marigold and cobwebs, we'll need the cobwebs to stop the bleeding."

Nightpaw nodded in agreement before padding over to the area where Sagetail kept his herbs. Confusion swept through Storm when he realized she was following Sagetail's orders. How did she know the difference between those herbs?

"You actually know how to heal wounds?" Flare asked, sounding more than impressed.

"As a medicine cat, it is our duty to treat those who have been hurt," Sagetail explained. He blinked in amusement when Flare gaped at the herbs Nightpaw was holding in her mouth. "We aren't bound by boundaries like the Clans. If anyone is injured than we help them, whether our Clan likes it or not."

Storm braced himself when Nightpaw handed the herbs to Sagetail. The medicine cat chewed the marigold into a poultice before spreading it across Storm's wounds. His teeth ground together as it stung for a moment, before he finally felt relief wash over him.

"How do you know what herbs to look for?" Storm looked at his sister accusingly as Nightpaw wrapped cobwebs around his wounds. She paused in her work before glancing at Storm with an almost guilty expression.

"Sagetail took me on as his apprentice," she explained sheepishly. "I love it... being able to help others is something I never expected to enjoy."

Storm stared at his sister in disbelief. He never expected her to become a medicine cat apprentice. Yet part of him was glad that she had chosen this path. It meant she would be safer, and away from the battles that raged on in the Clans.

"I'm glad you've found your path," he purred.

"Me too." Nightpaw purred along with him before glancing back at Flare, who suddenly looked more than uncomfortable between the two siblings.

"Flare, I never mentioned that Nightpaw is actually my sister," he explained after realizing why she looked so uncomfortable.

"No wonder you two look so much alike," Flare meowed, her eyes widening when she understood what he told her. He had mentioned his sister staying in the Clan, but he had never told her what she looked like.

It wasn't long before Nightpaw was finished tending to Storm's wounds. He didn't realize just how much he had missed his sister until seeing her now. Nightpaw seemed more confident now that she was Sagetail's apprentice. In fact she had changed in more ways than he liked to admit.

Leafstar arrived in the den when Nightpaw was helping Sagetail clean out the den. Storm looked at her coldly as she gazed at him. The ForestClan leader had stood up for Willowpaw, who in the end had attacked him. He wasn't sure what she would say now.

"The Clan has made it's decision," she announced. "We have decided to give you a second chance."

Storm eyed her coolly when he realized what she was saying. Leafstar refused to admit that she had made a mistake. She didn't want to let the Clan know that she had made false judgement. And for that he would never forgive her. But he would be more than willing to join the Clan, especially if it meant defending them from the rogues.

 _I'll do this for Cricketpaw's sake_ , he promised. _You didn't deserve to die, and I'll be sure to avenge your death_.

* * *

 **AN: I'm glad that everyone's enjoying these chapters :D I know I certainly enjoy writing them! The ending kind of feels a little rushed to me, but there isn't much I can do about it without making it close to 4k words long D:**

 **Smash765 - Thank you! It means a lot to hear how much you're enjoying it :) And yeah, the rogues are pretty messed up, in more ways than one :P Everything will be explained eventually, but for now I'll be keeping their story a secret ;)**

 **Snowfall16 - Yep, that's why :) I can't stand writing short chapters, I don't even know why XD And yes, I did mention a 'her' earlier, but you won't find out about it until later :P I love making people guess! And thank you, and I hope you had a happy Memorial Day as well! I do celebrate it, though I had to work unfortunately :( Being a part of a retail position can do that to you. And thank you, I'm more than thankful for all of your reviews, they really do mean a lot! :D**


	13. Thirteen: Finally Accepted

**Chapter Thirteen - Finally Accepted (Sort of)**

The Clan had held vigil over Cricketpaw before Leafstar held their ceremony. Despite the hard times they endured, they would remain strong. That much everyone knew. What they didn't know was just how much of a threat those rogues really posed on them.

"By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong. Flare, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Flarepaw. Petalwind, you were a fine mentor to Nightpaw, and I expect you to continue your training with Flarepaw."

Pride had shown in Petalwind's eyes when she touched noses with Flarepaw. Stormpaw couldn't help but feel the same sense of pride. Flarepaw would show them that loners could be trusted. She had already stood up for him when the Clan argued over Leafstar's decision once again.

What surprised him the most was that Willowpaw hadn't said a word during their ceremony. Instead she was fuming near the apprentice's den the entire time. He had a feeling she would say something when they returned to their nests at night.

 _I wish there was a way to shut her up_ , he thought angrily. Knowing Willowpaw she would do anything to scare Flarepaw away. He hoped it didn't come to that.

"I hope you haven't forgotten what I've taught you," Mintspot meowed when he approached Stormpaw.

"Of course I haven't," Stormpaw retorted.

Though he couldn't suppress a purr of happiness that Mintspot was his mentor again. He enjoyed having Mintspot as a mentor; the light gray tom was surprisingly gentle yet stern with him. Unlike most cats in the Clan, Mintspot saw the potential in Stormpaw.

The two of them headed out of camp for training while Flarepaw was shown the territory by Petalwind. Stormpaw hoped that it all went well. He knew just how overwhelming all the information could be. At least this time Flarepaw wouldn't be alone like he was.

Stormpaw was eager to continue with his apprentice training. He had taught Flarepaw what Mintspot taught him. She was more ahead than Petalwind would realize, and that might be a good thing. He could already imagine how surprised she would be when they started their training.

Mintspot stopped in the middle of the clearing, than turned to face Stormpaw. "I've already heard from Petalwind that you didn't bother trying to fight Dustpaw when he attacked you," his mentor explained. "While you made the right decision by not attacking, you should know that it is your right to defend yourself."

"That's what I was doing with Willowpaw when she attacked me," Stormpaw muttered under his breath.

"What happened between you and Willowpaw has nothing to do with your training," Mintspot suddenly replied. Stormpaw didn't miss how wary he sounded. He had almost forgotten that Mintspot was Willowpaw's father, and he was afraid he might have offended Mintspot. "I'd like to see what you know, and we will continue from there."

Relief washed over Stormpaw's shoulders when Mintspot said that. He performed every move that Mintspot had taught him almost perfectly. Practicing with Flarepaw had helped him. Once again he was thankful for the support she had provided during his exile.

"Your stance is all over the place," Mintspot concluded when they were finished. "Let me show you something that has helped me in battle."

The light gray tom dropped to a crouch as if to prove his point. Stormpaw simply sat down and flicked his tail as Mintspot suddenly lashed out into the air, in a direction Stormpaw wasn't expecting. Stormpaw blinked in surprise when Mintspot stepped back.

"What kind of a move was that?" he asked.

"A move that is unpredictable," Mintspot replied with a smug look. "Any other cat would be able to tell where you're about to strike. But attacking like that makes it difficult for anyone to predict where you will hit them."

Stormpaw nodded as he remembered watching Willowpaw do the same thing. There was so much to learn about fighting. He knew that it would take more than just time for him to become a true warrior. Patience was also a key to becoming one of the greatest fighters in the forest.

"I wish I had known about these moves when Cricketpaw was out there," he sighed, remembering the way she was brutally murdered.

Right away he could picture the horror in her eyes as the rogues moved in. They attacked without hesitation, and later threw her body into the fire. Stormpaw felt sickened at the memory and nearly vomited than and there. Mintspot didn't miss the sudden tension in Stormpaw.

"What really happened back there?" he asked, studying the apprentice warily.

He couldn't help but look away as shame crawled through him once more. It was his fault Cricketpaw was gone. No matter how much Flarepaw had tried to convince him otherwise, he couldn't stop blaming himself.

"I watched her die," he murmured, feeling more miserable than ever. "When she found me she wanted me to go back with her to the Clan... but I turned down her offer. I admit I was probably being stubborn and angry with Leafstar. I shouldn't have taken it out on her." Stormpaw bowed his head as he pictured her body, scarred and burned. "I'm guessing she decided to ask some rogues in the city for help, and got more than she bargained for."

Silence followed as Stormpaw refused to say what he really wanted to. He was partly afraid that Mintspot would blame him for everything that had happened. And he wasn't sure if Mintspot was ready to hear what the rogues had told Stormpaw.

"You did what you could," Mintspot meowed after giving his story some thought. "Cricketpaw should not have left the camp in the first place."

Surprise flashed through Stormpaw when he heard Mintspot's cold response. He wasn't expecting the senior warrior to speak like that, especially about his own Clanmate. Then again he remembered how everyone seemed to treat one another in the Clan.

 _Maybe he's hiding his own grief_ , Stormpaw thought.

The two of them worked throughout the morning, until Stormpaw's muscles were aching once more. He had almost forgotten how much time and effort it took to get this far. But he was happy. Being trained once again made him realize just how much he had missed the Clan.

He spent the rest of that afternoon hunting with Mintspot. It didn't take him long to realize that hunting was more difficult than he remembered.

Stormpaw was used to hunting in Twolegplace. He'd learned how to deal with distractions such as monsters roaring to life, or the shouts of Twolegs. But here the forest was different... it almost felt alive in a way.

"Keep your paws light on the undergrowth," Mintspot instructed when Stormpaw managed to scare away his third mouse.

Frustration swelled within Stormpaw, until finally he managed to take the fourth mouse he found down. Stormpaw let out a sigh of relief as he dropped it at his paws. He didn't realize until now just how out of practice he was.

"Sorry, my hunting skills in the forest are a bit rusty," he admitted, feeling guilty for having forgotten his training. Though he wouldn't admit that Mintspot hadn't really taken him out that much for hunting practice.

"That's alright," Mintspot reassured him. "In time you'll make a fine hunter; I've seen how patient you are, and that is the key in hunting."

Stormpaw looked at his mentor in surprise. But it made sense that he would need patience. Stalking was the best way to approach prey. The real problem was figuring out what kind of stalking was needed for each type of prey.

For what felt like the rest of the day they had spent outside of camp. Stormpaw was actually grateful for that. He wasn't in any hurry to go back and face the wrath of his Clanmates. Some of them were still angry with the decision Leafstar had made.

He still remembered the way Furzepelt had reacted to Leafstar's announcement. The dark brown tom had been furious that she was letting another loner join the Clan. Stormpaw wasn't entirely sure what he had against loners, but it did frustrate him. Especially when he saw Flarepaw's reaction to Furzepelt's statement.

 _He better not try and hurt her_ , he thought angrily. Mintspot returned to camp shortly after Stormpaw managed to catch a vole along with the mouse he'd caught earlier. While it wasn't much it was better than nothing.

Relief washed over Stormpaw's shoulders when he saw Flarepaw sitting beside Jaypaw and Nightpaw. Seeing them together reminded him of his first few days in the Clan. Cricketpaw was the one who showed him around, and had taught him Clan customs.

"I can't believe Leafstar would let you back into the Clan." Stormpaw only rolled his eyes when he dropped his prey on the fresh-kill pile. Willowpaw stood only a few tail-lengths in front of him, eyes narrowed with hate. "And yet another loner as well," she added, casting a glare towards Flarepaw.

"Would you just shut up already?" Stormpaw blinked in surprise when Jaypaw suddenly yowled those words. Willowpaw looked just as surprised as her brother stalked over to them, glaring at his sister. "I'm sick and tired of hearing you complain about this all the time! When did you turn into such a stubborn cat anyways?"

Willowpaw opened her mouth, still looking stunned that her brother had spoken against her. For a moment they just stood there in awkward silence. Stormpaw wasn't sure what to do or say at that moment. Something told him it was best not to interfere.

"You trust this cat?" Willowpaw demanded, struggling to find the right words to say.

Jaypaw seemed to hesitate before answering, "I'd trust him over you."

The light gray she-cat's eyes widened in disbelief. Stormpaw felt his blood run cold when he realized what Jaypaw was suggesting. He could already see a rift forming between the siblings, and he wanted nothing to do with it.

"I can't believe we're even related," she muttered, shaking her head as she padded away. Jaypaw's fur was standing on end with anger by the time she left them. Confusion swept through Stormpaw as he watched her leave.

"You shouldn't be fighting because of us," he murmured softly enough for only Jaypaw to hear.

"I'm just tired of hearing her complain," Jaypaw replied with a shake of his head. "All she ever does is argue with everyone. And she never used to be that way; we used to be best friends before..."

The apprentice suddenly stopped, and Stormpaw understood why. He was upset about his mother, Fallingfeather. Maybe if she hadn't died than Willowpaw wouldn't be acting this way. But something told Stormpaw that Willowpaw would just find something else to blame on their arrival.

"I'm sorry... I know what it's like to not know my mother," Stormpaw sighed as they headed back to the apprentice's den.

He could barely remember what she even looked like. His mother had left him alone with Nightpaw when they were just weaned. Since than Stormpaw had been left to fend for both himself and for Nightpaw.

"Well, I suppose we should count ourselves lucky we remembered what she looked like," Jaypaw admitted. "Mother was always the kindest cat anyone could meet. Willowpaw used to be that way too."

Stormpaw nodded in understanding. Part of him understood why Willowpaw acted the way she did. She blamed loners and rogues for her mother's death. And the fact that Leafstar had accepted three loners into the Clan must have really hurt Willowpaw.

"It's hard to believe that she was nice at one point," Flarepaw murmured. She flicked her tail playfully across Stormpaw's shoulder. "I can see why you didn't like her from the start."

Embarrassment washed over Stormpaw when everyone gave them strange looks. Admittedly he did admire Willowpaw at one point. But that had all changed when Leafstar accepted him and Nightpaw into the Clan.

"There's going to be a half moon tomorrow," Jaypaw suddenly chimed in, glancing curiously at Nightpaw. "Are you going to the MoonCave?"

Nightpaw blinked in confusion before realizing what Jaypaw was asking.

"I guess," she replied with a shrug. "I never really thought about it, actually."

Jaypaw stifled a _mrrow_ of laughter. "You're a medicine cat now," he explained while receiving looks of confusion from Stormpaw and Flarepaw. "Medicine cats always travel to the MoonCave on the half moon, to communicate with StarClan... and do medicine cat stuff."

 _I can't picture Nightpaw doing any of that_ , Stormpaw thought with a smirk. But she did seem excited. Stormpaw didn't miss the look in her eyes when she glanced at Jaypaw.

"Sagetail said I'd have to go in order to continue my training," she meowed as if she had remembered something.

"Then you better get a good night's rest now," Jaypaw told her. "You'll probably be leaving tomorrow at sunhigh, since it takes so long to get there."

Nightpaw nodded in understanding. Stormpaw blinked in amusement as his sister trotted back over to the medicine cat's den. It was strange to see how much she had changed in a short time. But he was happy she had finally found her path.

"We should probably get some sleep too," Stormpaw murmured after noticing how exhausted Flarepaw looked.

"It's amazing how huge the territory is," she whispered. "Were you as confused as I feel when you first joined the Clan?"

Stormpaw held back a purr before leading her into the apprentice's den. "It just takes time getting used to everything," he reassured her.

* * *

 **AN: I actually did have this chapter typed up, I just didn't have the time to post it XD So hope you all enjoyed it, I know I had fun writing it ;)**

 **TakeThePRNDL - Who knows what goes on in the minds of cats? :P StarClan's gonna have their paws full with this one XD**

 **Snowfall16 - That's okay, I understand :P Yeah, I think Stormpaw was a bit hesitant because he wasn't sure of what to think about Nightpaw's choice. And that's good to know, for some reason I always feel like they're either rushed or there's not enough detail in them ^^**


	14. Fourteen: Meeting With Stars

**Chapter Fourteen - Meeting With Stars**

Leaves rustled against a fierce breeze that picked up earlier in the morning. The signs of a storm were all around the forest. Thick dark gray clouds had begun to gather around the sky, and the air was thick with moisture. Birds and other prey started to hide in their nests to avoid the rain that would follow.

"We need to patrol the quarry before it starts raining," meowed Mintspot.

He followed Ravenflight and a reluctant Willowpaw towards the border that lay between ForestClan and BoulderClan. Stormpaw could sense tension between Willowpaw and Ravenflight. Clearly the two of them had had a disagreement of some sort.

"The quarry should be filled with water by now," Ravenflight sniffed. "BoulderClan cats hate to get their fur wet. Knowing them they'll stay well clear of the border."

"Has the quarry ever flooded?" Stormpaw asked curiously.

"As far as I am aware, no," Mintspot told him. "But it is a possibility. We always make sure the camp is safe from flooding."

A chill swept through Stormpaw at the thought of enduring a flood. He'd heard stories of cats getting swept away by fierce torrents in the rivers. That was why he'd been terrified of water for so long. He wasn't sure whether or not swimming during a storm or going anywhere near water was a safe idea. But in this case they didn't have a choice.

"I just want to get this done and over with," Willowpaw grumbled as thunder caused the ground to shake.

Stormpaw nodded in understanding. Though he was used to being out during a thunderstorm, he still felt uneasy. The rain that fell soon soaked their pelts. He was amazed that any cat would actually like getting their fur dirty or wet like this.

 _How does CreekClan stand it_? he wondered.

"Looks like someone tried crossing that branch," Mintspot meowed as they reached the quarry.

Sure enough the entire area of boulders was covered in water. Stormpaw flinched as a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the churning waves. The whole scene looked intimidating as he gazed across what used to be the quarry.

Stormpaw followed Mintspot's gaze and noticed a low hanging branch that seemed to barely touch the water's edge. A shiver ran through him when he spotted the claw marks etched along the branch. Someone had tried to cross the water, but it looked as though they didn't make it.

"This happens every greenleaf," Ravenflight snorted with a shake of her head. "I don't understand why Sparrowstar doesn't keep his cats away from this area."

"For the same reason we can't avoid it," Mintspot replied to her. "It keeps the borders safe."

Ravenflight looked at Mintspot doubtfully, but she didn't bother saying anything. Instead she flicked her tail as Mintspot marked the border and padded away. Stormpaw watched the quarry carefully until his name was called by Mintspot.

"What are you staring at?" Willowpaw demanded, her eyes narrowed as she trotted ahead of him.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if anyone actually did fall in," he admitted, thinking back to how terrifying it must be to go like that. He imagined being violently thrown around by the waves, seeing nothing but darkness until the air was sucked out of his lungs. The thought really did make him shake with fear.

"Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much about senseless things?" Willowpaw's question took him by surprise.

Stormpaw looked at her curiously, noticing that she wasn't glaring at him like she had earlier. Wariness suddenly washed over him. What if this was some kind of trick? She could be biding her time to wait for a chance to insult him again. That wouldn't surprise him. Yet the softness in her tone was what really struck him as odd.

"This is the problem with living in the forest," Mintspot grumbled as they reached the camp. "It rains too much during greenleaf."

"All of this rain means that leafbare won't be as harsh," Ravenflight reminded him. "There is hope for a better future."

Mintspot seemed to consider her words before nodding in agreement. Camp was buzzing with activity despite the rain that seemed continue pouring on them. Stormpaw shook out water from his pelt and trotted over to the apprentice's den. To his disappointment, Flarepaw was still gone. But so were Jaypaw, Petalwind and Prickletail.

 _I guess I'm on my own for now_ , he thought. That was when he noticed Dustpaw glaring at him from the elder's den. His ears flattened when he realized that Dustpaw hadn't forgiven him. Though he truthfully hadn't forgiven himself for what happened to Cricketpaw. He didn't blame Dustpaw for hating him now.

Willowpaw trotted ahead and grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile just as Ravenflight had broken apart from them. Stormpaw didn't move. He wasn't sure if it was safe or not to take anything yet. The elders hadn't been tended to as far as he was aware.

"You can fetch something to eat," Mintspot meowed as if he had read Stormpaw's thoughts.

The young apprentice's ears flattened in embarrassment as he padded over. He was thankful though that Mintspot had given him permission. He hadn't had anything to eat since last night. Once he'd grabbed a vole he trotted over to the apprentice's den and sat far away from Willowpaw.

"Did something happen between all of you?" Flarepaw's mew surprised Stormpaw. He wasn't expecting her to return anytime soon from her training. Seeing her now made him realize just how fast of a learner she really was.

"Dustpaw blames me for Cricketpaw, and Willowpaw... well, she's an arrogant furball," Stormpaw grumbled. He didn't blame Dustpaw for hating him. Willowpaw on the other paw, was more of a nuisance than anything else. Flarepaw only purred in amusement and flicked her tail across his shoulder.

"I'm guessing that she's trying to hide her emotions," she told him. "She seems like a really proud cat, and maybe being saved by you hurt her pride."

Stormpaw blinked in surprise when she said that. He'd never given that theory much thought. Willowpaw had acted very sure of herself back when they were in Twolegplace. It made sense in a way that she would hate him for joining the Clan shortly after helping her out.

"Thanks, I never thought of that," he murmured thoughtfully.

Flarepaw just nodded and glanced towards the den where Willowpaw was standing beside. She seemed oblivious to the world as she groomed herself after eating the mouse. Stormpaw almost wished there was a way to get along with her. Maybe than they wouldn't argue as much, or break into fights during patrols.

"Just give her some time, I'm sure she'll come along eventually," Flarepaw told him.

He nodded in agreement before settling down beside her for the night. With Nightpaw gone he knew that it was going to be a long one. He just hoped that she got back safely from her journey to the Mooncave.

...

Excitement surged through Nightpaw as she followed Sagetail through the undergrowth. After making sure all the herbs were organized he had chosen that moment to leave for the Moonrock. By now the clouds had cleared, revealing a half moon and stars through the canopy of leaves.

"What am I going to expect when we get there?" Nightpaw asked as they made their way through BoulderClan territory.

"All you have to do is touch your nose to the Mooncave after I give you your ceremony," Sagetail explained. "Just stay calm, and let StarClan guide you through the rest."

She nodded at that, though she was still confused as to how the whole thing worked. Touching her nose to some random rock didn't seem all that intriguing. She imagined how cold it would be to her nose, and wondered if that was how StarClan spoke to them.

Unfortunately reaching the Moonrock meant they had to cross through BoulderClan territory. Sagetail had told her though that as medicine cats, they were given permission to cross the border. Nightpaw was still on high alert though. The last thing she wanted was to be caught by a patrol.

New scents mixed in the air, sending thrills of alarm through Nightpaw. She recognized them as BoulderClan scent. She sent a cautious look towards Sagetail, but he seemed oblivious. Wasn't he worried about getting attacked or ambushed?

"Sagetail, it's good to see you again." Nightpaw stiffened at the sound of a new voice. She peered over Sagetail's shoulders to see a black tom with patches of brown mixed in his fur. He glanced at her with just as much curiosity before looking back at Sagetail. "I see you have a new apprentice as well, though I can't recall your Clan having more kits."

"Embertail, it's good to see you as well," Sagetail replied. "Nightpaw is new to the Clan, but she shows great promise as a medicine cat. She already knows most of the herbs I use."

Nightpaw felt her fur bristle with unease when Embertail studied her carefully. Then he hissed and recoiled in shock when he realized she wasn't originally from ForestClan.

"You took in a loner?" he demanded.

"No, I took in a full ForestClan apprentice to train under my guidance," Sagetail snapped in a calm voice.

Nightpaw wondered how he could stay so calm. She was shaking now with both frustration and fear. What would Embertail do if he found out where she came from? She shuddered at the thought.

"So I see ForestClan hasn't changed a bit," a new voice suddenly spoke up. Nightpaw stiffened once more at the sound and turned to see a beautiful looking dark golden she-cat approaching them. "You always bring in cats who don't deserve a second chance, especially when it comes to loners."

 _They hate me_ , Nightpaw realized. _They hate me, and are probably deciding whether or not they should kill me_. Her fur stood on end as the thought sent fear through her. Sagetail seemed to notice though and stepped protectively beside her.

"Every cat deserves a second chance, you of _all_ cats should know that, Honeywing," he growled.

Honeywing flinched, but she didn't say anything else. Relief washed over Nightpaw's shoulders when they didn't say anything else. They stopped arguing and padded through the undergrowth, until reaching what looked like a dead end in the forest. But suddenly Embertail disappeared into the thick layer of leaves that blocked what Nightpaw assumed was the entrance. Soon Honeywing followed, along with Sagetail. Nightpaw hesitated for a moment before following her mentor. Almost at once darkness took over. Nightpaw found herself groping blindly forward until she nearly bumped into someone.

"Careful, you need to use your whiskers to guide yourself forward," Sagetail warned her. "These tunnels can be confusing, but if you follow my scent you should be fine."

"Have cats ever gotten lost in here?" Nightpaw asked, suddenly realizing what kind of danger she was in.

"Only once... many moons ago before even I was born," Sagetail replied. "He happened to be a BoulderClan apprentice, and ended up getting lost in the tunnels forever."

Her eyes widened in horror at the thought. She'd never heard that story before. Then again she didn't really get the chance to listen to many stories from the elders. Maybe it was time started, than she could possibly understand the Clans better.

The tunnels felt like they were getting more narrow by the heartbeat, and soon Nightpaw found herself struggling to go further. She could only pick up the scent of musky Earth. Sagetail must be ahead though, she could still hear his pawsteps. Finally though they did manage to reach a rather large opening in the tunnels. Nightpaw's eyes widened when she saw a huge rock hovering above her. An opening in the cave revealed the moon glowing above, illuminating the cave.

"I suppose you better get this ceremony done and over with," Embertail meowed when they all arrived.

"StarClan, I bring to you an apprentice who has shown that she trusts in your wisdom, and I trust you to guide her towards moons of peace and healing." An eerie feeling suddenly swept over Nightpaw as Sagetail stood in front of her. She could almost imagine the starlight reflecting in his eyes as he spoke. "Allow her to become part of our world, as you have allowed us to." He then looked down at Nightpaw, and she was suddenly aware of just how important this ceremony was to him. "Now you must touch your nose to the Mooncave, as we will follow."

Nightpaw gazed over at the Mooncave before doing as she was told. Her eyes widened the moment her nose touched the cold rock. An icy chill swept through her, causing her fur to stand on end before she collapsed to the ground.

When her eyes opened again she found herself standing in the middle of an open field. Nightpaw looked around warily, realizing that this must be StarClan's hunting grounds. And almost at once she found herself right as a cat streaked past her. She jumped when she saw that they were chasing a rabbit. Nightpaw took the chance and followed the cat. They caught the rabbit with ease and dropped it at their paws before locking gazes with Nightpaw.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"N-Nightpaw, of ForestClan," she answered.

"Nightpaw? I don't know any Nightpaw," the tom snorted. "Why don't you run along and go back to your own dream, instead of disturbing us?"

She only glared at him and was ready to make a retort when a new voice spoke up, "Runningtail, why don't you take that rabbit to the kits? I'm sure they're more than eager to hear another one of your stories." The tabby grunted and picked up the rabbit before dragging it away. "You will have to forgive him, like most cats in the Clans, he isn't too kind towards strangers."

Nightpaw looked at the she-cat curiously, recognizing her through Willowpaw. She had silver fur and a long, plumy tail that was wrapped neatly around her paws.

"Are you... Willowpaw's mother?" She heard Sagetail mention that Willowpaw's mother had been murdered by rogues. That was partly why Willowpaw held a grudge against any rogue or loner from Twolegplace. Nightpaw couldn't really blame the apprentice for hating them after what had happened.

"Yes, I am," she replied in a purr. "I have been expecting to see you. You brother has already shown promise of becoming a fine warrior, and now it is your turn to show how much promise you have."

She stared at the she-cat in disbelief. They had already been watching over Stormpaw? He never mentioned anything of the likes.

"Is this all I'll be doing?" she asked, glancing around warily. It seemed that no cat wanted her around, especially that tom. But maybe he was just cranky... She had to hold onto that one hope.

"I'm afraid not," the she-cat sighed as she looked at Nightpaw sympathetically. "Not everyone here is bad, but there are others who will judge you just because of your bloodline. You must prevail against the darkness that rises in their hearts, otherwise it will overwhelm you."

A shiver ran through Nightpaw when she said those words. Before Nightpaw could say anything else though, the she-cat began fading along with the forest. Nightpaw looked around as she tried to figure out what that she-cat had meant by those words. When the forest had faded Nightpaw blinked and found herself back in the cave.

"What did you dream about?" Embertail's question made Nightpaw narrow her eyes. She didn't get the chance to answer as Sagetail suddenly slapped his tail over her mouth.

"Medicine cats are not supposed to share their dreams with anyone else," he growled. Embertail only rolled his eyes in response.

"Calm down, I was only testing her," he mumbled crossly.

Nightpaw looked away in confusion as the others began to leave. What had that she-cat meant by that message? She wondered if Stormpaw had heard the same one when the stranger spoke with him. Either way, Nightpaw was wary of this message from the stars. Something told her that it would effect the Clans, and not in the way they were hoping for.

* * *

 **AN: I loved writing this chapter :D I'm so sorry it took long to write though! I've just been crazy busy between work and everything else in life. But I will not stop my updating, that much I promise!**

 **TakeThePRNDL - Yep, they are indeed :)**

 **Snowfall16 - Hehe, I love confusing my readers ;) Makes it so much fun! And thank you, I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much!**


	15. Fifteen: Warrior Ceremony

**Chapter Fifteen – Warrior Ceremony**

Rocks scattered across the ground as Stormpaw jumped from boulder to boulder. He watched with interest as Mintspot made the leap with ease. Despite his older age, he did make jumping from boulder to boulder easy. This was part of the training exercises. Mintspot wanted to see how skilled Stormpaw was at climbing boulders. Today also marked an important event in the Clan.

Willowpaw and Jaypaw were getting their warrior names. According to Jaypaw, they had to pass an assessment that was created by their mentors. Stormpaw knew that eventually he himself would have to take part in the same ceremony. Part of him was worried about what it would be like. Mintspot might push him farther because he used to be a loner, and at one point was exiled by Leafstar.

"Remember, you can use your tail as balance if you need to," Mintspot reminded him. Stormpaw resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he struggled to stay upright. He didn't understand why this was necessary. Mintspot had tried explaining it to him, but he only partly listened. "Don't get angry with yourself, all it takes is practice."

Stormpaw glanced at his mentor before nodding. He finally used his claws to grip the rock and clung on for dear life. Once he managed to climb to the top, Stormpaw felt like he was on top of the world. His eyes widened in amazement when he realized he could see the entire forest from here.

"I didn't realize the forest was so big," he admitted as he tried seeing beyond the trees. It seemed to go on forever, and at one point he could even see the edge of BoulderClan territory. He didn't even think that possible. It seemed odd that Twolegplace would look so small compared to the forest. Why were the rogues fighting over this space when they could just travel beyond and make a home there?

"The forest keeps us protected from Twoleg threats," Mintspot meowed while Stormpaw struggled to get back down. "They never understand or appreciate what our territory provides for us."

That much was true. Stormpaw had seen just how disrespectful Twolegs were towards just about everything, even themselves. Hopefully it would never come to a time where the Twolegs would invade the forest. The rogues were enough of a problem to deal with as it was.

"Can you show me a few battle moves today?" Stormpaw asked eagerly. By now he had mastered most of what Mintspot had taught him. But there was still so much he had to learn. Plus it would be some time before he finally earned his warrior name. Dustpaw was still an apprentice, meaning it would probably take another few moons for both he and Flarepaw to become warriors.

Fortunately Mintspot was in a good mood. He took Stormpaw to the training area, and surprisingly Dustpaw was already there with Ryewhisker. Stormpaw tried not to flinch when the light brown tabby apprentice shot him a hostile look. He was all too aware that Dustpaw still hated him, and would probably never forgive him.

"Maybe we should try partner training," Ryewhisker suggested. All at once the energy Stormpaw felt earlier was drained. Dustpaw, working alongside him? He doubted that would ever happen. "It's good for every apprentice to know how they operate in battle."

Mintspot nodded in agreement, "Yes. Stormpaw, you've already shown that you are capable of defending yourself. Let's see how well you are at keeping two opponents at bay."

Stormpaw eyed his mentor warily. Both Mintspot and Ryewhisker were good warriors, but Mintspot was a bit slower. So he aimed for Mintspot first. Ryewhisker saw the move coming though, and easily stopped the apprentice in his tracks. Frustrated by his lack of strikes, Stormpaw suddenly turned on Ryewhisker. Mintspot suddenly chose that moment to swipe his paw across Stormpaw's muzzle while he was occupied with Ryewhisker.

"Fighting two opponents at once can be difficult, as you've just learned," Ryewhisker meowed once Mintspot had Stormpaw pinned down. "That is why you should find backup when you can. If that's not the case, than learn your opponent's weakness before fighting them."

Again Stormpaw nodded, though he doubted that he would ever have that time in a real battle. He watched as Ryewhisker began circling him. Dustpaw just stood there with his ears flattened in annoyance. With a roll of his eyes, Stormpaw ducked and tried sliding out his paws to trip Ryewhisker. And of course Mintspot managed to grab him by his tail, causing Stormpaw to yelp in surprise and get distracted.

"Aren't you going to help?" Stormpaw asked, turning to face Dustpaw. The older apprentice only glared at him in response.

"Why should I? You're just going to betray me in the end, like you betrayed Cricketpaw," he sneered.

Sudden anger replaced the frustration Stormpaw had felt earlier. Without warning he lunged at Dustpaw. The tabby didn't have time to react as Stormpaw had him pinned to the ground. He kept his claws sheathed though. The last thing he needed was to be accused for hurting another Clanmate.

"I didn't betray her!" Stormpaw yowled, shoving his muzzle into Dustpaw's. "I was trying to help her, but you didn't see what those rogues could do. They're the ones that killed her... and I couldn't do anything to save her."

Stormpaw felt his shoulders trembling as grief suddenly took over. He pictured Cricketpaw's body, laying in the ashes of the fire. That grizzly sight would always haunt him for the rest of his life. And he had never felt more helpless than at that moment.

"Stormpaw, that's enough." Mintspot's meow made him flinch. "I think we need to call it a day."

Dustpaw's eyes were wide with shock as Stormpaw stalked away from him.

 _I couldn't save her_... _it was my fault_. His own thoughts were churning violently. Flarepaw had reassured him that it wasn't his fault. But he knew better. He could have jumped in and risked his life to stop those rogues. They had terrified him though. His paws had been glued on the spot, and he realized that even if he could stop them he wouldn't.

"You're letting anger and grief blind your senses," Ryewhisker scolded Dustpaw. "What happened to Cricketpaw could have happened to anyone."

Stormpaw didn't miss the fact that Mintspot was glaring at Ryewhisker now. Clearly the younger warrior was referring to what had happened to Fallingfeather. The rogues had attacked her, and probably did the same thing they did to Cricketpaw.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" Dustpaw's voice was quiet now. But Stormpaw could see that he still didn't trust him. All he did was nod in response before looking away.

"If there's anything I could have changed, I would have... I would have taken her place had I known what those rogues were doing," he admitted. Dustpaw would never know just how true that was.

"We should go now," Mintspot told them. "I think we've all had enough for one day."

Relief washed over Stormpaw as they left the training area. He didn't expect it to turn out the way it did. Dustpaw's reaction had been more than understanding in some way. Though Stormpaw knew it would take time for them both to get over Cricketpaw's death, at least Dustpaw knew now what had really happened.

They returned to camp in silence, and Stormpaw welcomed it. He wasn't surprised to find it buzzing with activity. Willowpaw and Jaypaw were sitting in the clearing, their pelts well groomed. He spotted Flarepaw sitting by the apprentice's den, and trotted over to join her.

Nightpaw hadn't said anything since she returned from her trip to the Mooncave. Stormpaw had a feeling that she was hiding something important. Whatever that something was, he wanted to know. She had looked shaken when she returned, but since than she seemed to recover. In fact he saw her sitting outside the medicine cat's den, watching everyone as they gathered around the leader's den.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Leader's Den for a Clan meeting!" Stormpaw's ears pricked forward curiously. By now almost everyone was already gathered. But a patrol that had just returned quickly joined the group as the ceremony went on. "It is time for two of our apprentices to receive their warrior names. Harestep, Prickletail, do you believe your apprentices are ready to become warriors?"

"I do," Harestep replied without hesitation. Jaypaw's chest puffed out with pride, and Stormpaw couldn't help but smirk at the sight.

"I do," Prickletail added.

"Then I, Leafstar, leader of ForestClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices." A shiver ran down Stormpaw's fur. It wouldn't be long before he and Flarepaw had the same ceremony. "They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Jaypaw, Willowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," both apprentices meowed at the same time.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Jaypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Jayflight. StarClan honors you for your courage and spirit, and we welcome you as a full member of ForestClan."

Jayflight purred in contentment and licked Leafstar's shoulder while she touched her muzzle to his forehead. Stormpaw watched them eagerly, feeling a sense of anticipation as he realized just how special these ceremonies were.

"Willowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Willowshade, in honor of your cunning and pride, and we welcome you as a full member of ForestClan."

Once again Leafstar did the same with Willowshade as she had done with Jayflight. When she was finished she took a step back. Stormpaw watched on in confusion until the Clan suddenly started cheering their names.

"Jayflight! Willowshade! Jayflight! Willowshade!"

The ceremony was over as quickly as it had started. Stormpaw exchanged a look with Flarepaw before shaking his head.

"They have such strange customs," Flarepaw mused. "But I like the way they do things around here... looking out for one another is something the city cats never do."

He couldn't help but nod in agreement. Yet they still fought with one another over territory. He remembered hearing Mintspot explaining that often times BoulderClan would try and cross the border to gain access to better hunting.

"If only the rogues could see what the Clans are capable of," he sighed. "Maybe they wouldn't be so desperate to try and take their territory."

Flarepaw pressed herself against him comfortingly, and he welcomed it. He missed the days they would spend together at the park. And though he would never admit it, he missed Rex and his cranky attitude as well. Things had changed so much since than.

"You should tell them what the rogues are doing," she whispered, "what if they decide to attack? The Clan would be unprepared."

Truthfully he had been trying to figure out what to do or say to the Clan. There was already too much tension building within. Between Leafstar accepting him and Flarepaw, and everything else, Stormpaw wasn't sure if there would be a good chance.

"For now I think we should keep it between us," he admitted, feeling slightly guilty for keeping it a secret. "Those rogues are dangerous, and they know it. I just hope they're prepared to understand what they are capable of."

Flarepaw nodded in agreement. All they could do now was hope that the rogues didn't decide to suddenly attack. Otherwise it could lead to disaster. And Stormpaw didn't know whether or not he wanted to feel responsible for that.

* * *

 **AN: Bleh, this chapter was too short for my liking. But it was more of a filler than anything else. Next chapter will hopefully have a little more excitement :P**

 **QOTD (Thought it would be fun to start this :D) - What is your favorite genre of music? I can't resist asking XD**

 **Snowfall16 - Haha, that actually would've been pretty interesting. Maybe I'll write an alternate one-shot ;) Though it could possibly go well over 3K depending on how much detail I add :P And I'm glad you understand. Work is never fun, but at least I get paid well! And yes, Willowp-er, Willowshade does have a slight crush on Stormpaw. But of course she's too proud to admit it.**


	16. Sixteen: Willowshade Opens Up

**Chapter Sixteen – Willowshade Opens Up**

A few days had passed since Willowshade and Jayflight received their warrior names. Life in the Clan seemed peaceful for now. Fallowtail's kits were emerging from the nursery for the first time. The whole Clan was buzzing with excitement when it happened. Their eyes were fully opened and they could explore the camp.

Stormpaw watched from a distance, having remembered how some of the cats reacted when he was first allowed to join the Clan. New kits meant they were more likely to pick on him now. The Clan didn't need more warriors as long as those kits were around.

 _No, stop thinking about that_! Stormpaw scolded himself. Kits were precious, and new arrivals were always a gift to anyone. He never imagined what life would be like if he'd never returned to the Clan. Maybe he and Flarepaw would have started a future family together. His fur suddenly burned in embarrassment at the thought. _Maybe it's a bit too soon to think of something like that_ , he thought.

"Stormpaw, we're going hunting," Mintspot told him. Stormpaw's ears pricked forward with anticipation. He'd gotten better at hunting since living on his own. It was also partly thanks to Flarepaw that he was getting better. She'd learned how to hunt in the undergrowth long before they met, and taught him while they were living alone.

Together the two of them bounded through the undergrowth. Stormpaw could feel his energy pulsing as he weaved in and out of the ferns. Mintspot led the way until finally reaching the grove of trees where they usually hunted. Stormpaw already picked up a few familiar scents, and realized that today might just be a good day for hunting.

"What should I be looking out for?" Stormpaw asked, glancing at Mintspot warily.

"Anything edible of course," Mintspot replied with a smirk. Stormpaw just rolled his eyes while Mintspot flicked his tail in amusement. "I'd say hunt until sunhigh, since it's still pretty early. When we get back you can help Flarepaw clean out the elder's den."

He nodded in agreement before taking off to search for prey. Almost at once Stormpaw spotted a blackbird flapping it's wings in the undergrowth. It was getting ready to take off. Stormpaw dropped to a crouch and suddenly lunged at his target. The blackbird let out a squawk when it realized Stormpaw was there. His claws gripped the bird's feathers, and it went tumbling down. As it struggled under his grip, Stormpaw wasted no time in snapping it's neck and killing it.

Pride swelled within Stormpaw as he dragged the blackbird to where he would pick it up later. Birds were rare to find in this forest; the undergrowth was almost too dense for them. But they made good prey since they were bigger than mice or voles. The only challenge was plucking their feathers off before eating them.

Eventually Stormpaw managed to catch a mouse hiding in the undergrowth a few moments after the blackbird. He rounded the bush and found hunting was good in this area. In the end he'd have a big haul to bring back. Hopefully that would be enough to impress Mintspot.

Stormpaw stopped and listened when he heard pawsteps sounding nearby. He opened his jaws to taste the air, and picked up an unfamiliar scent. Without a second thought he buried himself in the undergrowth and watched carefully.

"We've made enough sacrifices to give us strength." Stormpaw stiffened; the sounded like the black tom he'd seen with the band of rogues. He'd already guessed that tom was the leader, but he couldn't figure out who was with him. "We should have more than enough power to take down the Clans, one by one."

"And than the forest will be ours," meowed a she-cat. Again Stormpaw recognized her voice, but of course he didn't know their names. If he could just get closer and figure out exactly what they were planning...

"What are you doing?" Stormpaw nearly leaped out of his fur when he heard Willowshade's voice. He whirled around in time to see her standing behind him, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she watched him. "Those rogues have been wandering through the forest for a few hours now; I've been studying their every move."

"What? And you didn't bother telling the Clan?" Stormpaw glared at her, feeling anger rush through him. If it were up to him, he would have alerted the Clan and let them know there were trespassers in the forest.

"I can just as easily handle this myself," she snapped. Then her eyes softened, and for a moment Stormpaw was more confused than angry. He knew that she still held a grudge against the rogues after what they had done to her mother. "I think they're the same cats that killed mother," she added in a whisper.

Stormpaw nodded in understanding. This was about revenge. She wanted to seek justice for what had happened that day, and he couldn't blame her. He would do the same for Cricketpaw when he got the chance. None of these cats deserved to die the way they did.

"Alright, but you're not doing this alone," he told her. Hunting could wait. It wasn't close to sunhigh, so he still had more than enough time. "What exactly are you trying to figure out?"

"Why they did what they did... what gives them the right to hurt others?" Willowshade demanded, her fur bristling slightly. "My mother was the most caring cat in the world. And now she's gone because of them."

So that was it. If Willowshade wanted to find all of that out, she would have to seek out the rogues herself. Stormpaw wasn't sure what he could do to help. Plus she would turn down any offer he made at this point. She was more stubborn than he could ever imagine.

"Lets just go back before things get worse," he murmured after realizing this would only make things more complicated. Willowshade could follow the same path as her mother, and Stormpaw doubted that was what Fallingfeather wished upon her.

Willowshade threw him a cold look, but fortunately she didn't argue this time. What she did do made him stare at her in disbelief. She was actually _helping_ him carry back his prey. Though he hadn't caught that much after the mice, it was still too much to carry with the blackbird.

"We don't usually eat birds," she sniffed when she eyed the feathers warily.

"Prey is prey," he muttered with a shrug. "Frankly I'll take this over fish or whatever BoulderClan eats any day."

She murmured in agreement until they reached the clearing where Stormpaw was supposed to meet with Mintspot. The senior warrior looked at them in surprise when he realized they were working together instead of arguing. It was a rare sight indeed, and Stormpaw almost wished it would last.

"I thought you went with Ravenflight's patrol," Mintspot meowed in an accusing tone.

"She told me to scout ahead... I found something the Clan needs to hear about," Willowshade replied, glancing over her shoulder warily.

Mintspot narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Stormpaw had already guessed that Mintspot knew she was lying. He had a feeling Ravenflight would never let a newly named warrior wander ahead of a patrol. Plus he hadn't seen any other cats with Willowshade when she intruded on him.

"Very well... you did well during your hunting," Mintspot reassured Stormpaw. "Why don't you and Willowshade bring that prey back to camp. I'm sure whatever news you have to share can wait."

Willowshade only narrowed her eyes in response. Tension was starting to build between them as they returned to camp. Stormpaw tried to stay out of it though. The last thing he wanted was to be part of some argument that was about to happen.

Fortunately he didn't have much longer to worry about it. They returned to camp a little after sunhigh. And sure enough he saw Flarepaw cleaning out the elder's den on her own. But as he dropped his fresh-kill on the pile, he realized that Willowshade was waiting for him.

"What?" he demanded, letting his fur bristle slightly.

"I want you to tell Leafstar what you saw... she'll be more likely to believe you," she growled.

Unease suddenly crawled through Stormpaw. He'd never actually spoken to Leafstar on his own. Truthfully he was almost afraid to. She seemed fine one moment, and the next she might snap on him. Just like Willowshade. After giving it some thought, he realized this was exactly the kind of warning the Clan needed.

 _The rogues are going to attack us, one by one_ , he thought angrily. None of the other Clans were aware of what was happening right outside their borders. He guessed that the rogues had this planned for moons prior to Cricketpaw's death.

"Alright," he sighed realizing that Willowshade was right. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk to her."

"Good. At least we'll get that out of the way," Willowshade murmured thoughtfully.

He only rolled his eyes in response before heading towards Leafstar's den. Sudden wariness came crashing down on him. What if Leafstar refused to listen? He could already imagine her getting furious with him for disturbing her peace. With a shake of his head, Stormpaw stalked forward until he was at the den's entrance.

"Leafstar, can I talk with you?" He swallowed before asking that question. Leafstar wasn't alone. Ravenflight sat beside her, eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she studied him.

"Of course you can, Stormpaw," the dark brown she-cat replied. "Ravenflight, see to it that the patrols are set for tomorrow."

The deputy only nodded and stalked out of the den, lashing her tail as she did so. Stormpaw felt a shudder run through him as she pushed her way past him. There was just something about her that he didn't like. She had always been quiet and soft-spoken, especially when Leafstar had accepted the loners into the Clan.

"I wanted to talk to you about the rogues in the city – I mean, Twolegplace," Stormpaw meowed, correcting himself when Leafstar narrowed her eyes.

"What about the rogues?" she demanded.

"I spotted a group of them traveling through the forest," he explained. He was careful not to mention that Willowshade had been with him at the time. Or that it had only been two of them. Who knew just how many rogues were hiding in the undergrowth right now? "They were talking about a battle that will happen between them and the Clans... I think they might be planning an attack on each Clan before the next full moon."

"The rogues have never challenged us for territory," she scoffed. Her fur was bristling slightly, and Stormpaw was afraid he might have offended her. "Why would they try now? What do they have to gain?"

"More hunting grounds, and they wouldn't have to worry about the Twolegs hurting them," Stormpaw retorted. "You have no idea what it's like living there, how cruel some of those Twolegs can be."

He remembered all too well what they were capable of. When they were younger he and his sister had almost been attacked by Twolegs. They discovered their hiding place and tried destroying it, and almost caught them in the process. But Stormpaw had been quicker, and managed to escape them along with Nightpaw. It was part of the reason they never stayed in one place for too long.

"If what you say is true, than we shouldn't have too much to worry about," Leafstar meowed with a roll of her eyes. "I've seen those rogues before, and they aren't much of a threat to us."

Frustration swelled within Stormpaw when she said that. How could she be so naive? Those rogues had already killed Fallingfeather _and_ Cricketpaw. He had a feeling they did many other terrible things to the Clans as well. But of course Leafstar wouldn't let herself show that she was afraid.

"I always thought you were brave for standing up for what you believed in," he spat, letting anger take over. "But now I can see you're a coward. Those rogues will attack, and they won't hesitate to kill anyone that stands in their way."

He didn't miss the look of shock flashing in her eyes as he turned and stormed out of her den. Right now he needed to act before those rogues decided to attack. He wasn't about to let them hurt anyone else. Not when he still owed the Clan.

* * *

 **AN: So this chapter was slightly longer, but not by much XD Oh well, I definitely enjoyed writing it. Plus you get to see another side of Willowshade... she does care, deep down. But of course she's too proud to admit it :P**

 **QOTD: If you were in Stormpaw's place, what would you do?**

 **TakeThePRNDL - Well, she would become a medicine cat so it might take her longer to receive her full name since she started later.**

 **Snowfall16 - I love Christian Rock! Then again I love anything Christian, which is why I plan on going to Creation Fest :D I can't wait to see Skillet, TobyMac, Matthew West, and Capital Kings! It's gonna be epic! And generally I've been trying to aim for over 2K each chapter. This one's only longer by a couple of words /:**

 **Smash765 - Thanks :) Yeah, Dustpaw does have some kind of understanding, though he isn't entirely forgiving. Kind of like Willowshade D: I'm glad you're enjoying it so much!**

 **Feraa - I have to agree with you there ;) Though I will admit, I've become a fan of Of Monsters and Men. Have you heard their new album? It's awesome! And of course I will always hold a special place for Imagine Dragons and OneRepublic :)**


	17. Seventeen: Ambushed

**Chapter Seventeen – Ambushed**

Stormpaw's chest heaved with effort as he ran through the undergrowth. The day had dragged on pretty much the same. He and Mintspot had been working on battling tactics deep in the undergrowth. Cats who hid themselves in the undergrowth made a dangerous enemy. Stormpaw had learned that the hard way when Willowshade ambushed him.

Now however he was getting better. Mintspot had tried targeting him several times during their run through. Stormpaw had managed to stop his mentor though. Each time he heard the sound of his pawsteps, Stormpaw would stop and listen until he was close enough.

"Not bad, you're definitely getting better," Mintspot meowed when Stormpaw tripped him once again.

"But not good enough," Stormpaw replied with a shake of his head. "I've still got a lot to learn."

The calming atmosphere of the Clan was almost unnerving when they returned. Stormpaw had tried warning Leafstar what the rogues were doing. Of course she refused to listen to his warning. She didn't want to believe her Clan was in danger. Soon however she was about to learn the hard way that the rogues were a threat.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," Mintspot told him. "You really have improved since you first joined the Clan."

 _Gee, thanks for the encouragement_ , Stormpaw thought with a roll of his eyes. He knew Mintspot was only trying to make him feel better. But truthfully Stormpaw wasn't sure whether or not he was getting stronger. He was so terrified the moment those rogues had attacked Cricketpaw. He wouldn't bring it to himself to admit that he couldn't fight back. With a shake of his head he stalked over to the apprentice's den, to see Flarepaw sitting there and waiting for him.

"I see you're looking more downcast than usual," she murmured, flicking her tail across his shoulder. Stormpaw didn't respond. Instead he sighed and glared at the den where Leafstar normally slept. "Something happened the other night, hasn't it?" she suddenly asked.

"I tried warning Leafstar about the rogues," he explained. "Willowshade saw them herself... if anything that should be more than enough proof that they're a threat."

Flarepaw nodded in understanding. Stormpaw had hoped that Leafstar would listen to him. But of course she had turned down his warning. It told him that she still didn't trust him. And it frustrated him more than he would ever like to admit.

"Leafstar, our patrol is under attack!" Stormpaw stiffened when he heard Bouncefoot's cry. The black and white tom was trembling on his paws as he stared at the ForestClan leader. Sure enough Leafstar's fur was standing on end as she looked at Bouncefoot in shock.

"By who?" she demanded.

"A band of rogues," Bouncefoot replied in a gruff voice. "They must have been exploring the forest and suddenly ran into us. By the way they attacked, they weren't expecting us to find them so easily."

Leafstar nodded and flicked her tail towards Mintspot. "I want you to take Prickletail, Furzepelt and Stormpaw with you," she ordered. "Make sure these rogues are stopped, at all costs."

The spotted gray tom nodded, though Stormpaw could see confusion in his eyes. What did Leafstar mean by that? He shook his head and waved his tail to Flarepaw before bounding after the patrol. It only just dawned on him that this would be his first battle.

Bouncefoot wasted no time in leading the way as the patrol gathered at the entrance. Despite the wounds he'd received, he moved with such speed that it caught Stormpaw off guard. He was almost out of breath when they reached a grove of trees where they usually hunted.

All at once Stormpaw could hear the sound of battle. His blood ran cold as he heard a caterwaul amongst the chaos. Confusion and anger swept through Stormpaw as he skidded across the undergrowth, nearly colliding with another she-cat. She suddenly whirled around and nipped him over the ear, sending a jolt of pain through him.

Stormpaw shook it off an swiped his claws across her muzzle. She jumped back just in time as he was ready to strike once again. The she-cat spat in frustration when she realized he was tiring her out. He kept dodging her blows until finally he struck her down. He managed to flip her off her paws and tore at her now exposed belly until she let out a wail of pain and went fleeing.

His next opponent wasn't so easy. Stormpaw turned to face a huge black and white tom with scars of his own, most likely from fighting on the streets. Stormpaw narrowed his eyes and managed to hold his own until suddenly the tom grabbed him by the throat. Pain surged through Stormpaw, and he had to bite back a yowl as the tom started shaking him. Then he remembered what Mintspot had told him during training.

Thinking fast, Stormpaw let his body go limp until his attacker ceased shaking him. Relief washed over Stormpaw's shoulders, but he knew it wasn't over. He suddenly flung himself out of his opponent's teeth and swiped his claws across the black and white tom's muzzle. The tom hissed in fury and tried attacking once again, but Mintspot suddenly got in the way.

"Leave now; you are already badly wounded," he growled. The black and white tom seemed to hesitate for a moment before making his decision. By the time he fled the battle was closing to an end. Stormpaw's muscles were quivering with anticipation as he watched the rogues flee.

"Thank you," Stormpaw murmured once they were gone.

"Mark the borders, make sure they don't come back," Ravenflight hissed as the tension started dying down. Stormpaw blinked in surprise when he noticed that she wasn't as heavily wounded. He shook his head at the thought. Maybe she was just that good of a warrior.

"Let's get you three back to camp; it looks like Prickletail endured the worst wounds," Harestep meowed.

Stormpaw had barely noticed the wounds he received. But now he finally noticed them as he followed the others back. That she-cat had given him a nasty scratch right above his eye. And the black and white tom left his neck stinging and bleeding.

 _I sure hope it doesn't get any worse_ , he thought. _Those rogues fought so hard, and it seemed like they could keep going until their last breath_. Maybe there was more to those sacrifices than Stormpaw had realized. It was possible that the sacrifices made it _seem_ like they were giving those rogues the strength they needed to fight on. One way or another, Stormpaw would have to prove to them that it wasn't true. That Striker was only manipulating them into doing his bidding. And Stormpaw knew that no good would come out of that.

...

"Stars, what happened to you?" Flarepaw's voice broke the eerie silence that had filled the clearing. Nightpaw waited as patiently as she could for them to return. She was especially worried for her brother. Though he had training in the past, this was Stormpaw's first real battle.

Sure enough she realized with horror that he was bleeding heavily from a neck wound. Nightpaw gaped at the wound before whisking away into the medicine cat's den. Sagetail already had the herbs they would need to treat everyone.

"Who is wounded the most?" Sagetail asked.

"It looks like Prickletail received the most injuries," she replied. That nasty she-cat lived up to her name. Even after becoming a medicine cat, Prickletail still refused to show any respect towards Nightpaw. Now it was Nightpaw's job to make sure her wounds were tended to.

"Take these to her, I'll look after the others," her mentor ordered.

Nightpaw looked at him hesitantly before nodding and grabbing the bitter herbs. She knew they consisted of dock, chervil and horsetail. Once she had chewed the herbs into a poultice, she went to work treating the most severe wounds on Prickletail.

To her relief the dark gray she-cat remained oddly quiet. The worst wound was on her belly, where a cat must have knocked her off her paws and hit her the most. Prickletail winced and squirmed every now and than, but for the most part she was surprisingly quiet.

"Those rogues fought without honor," she hissed through grounded teeth. "They ambushed the patrol without warning..." Her words cut off as she looked towards Stormpaw, who was being treated by Sagetail. "Your brother fought like a warrior, but I still don't trust him, or you for that matter."

Nightpaw resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she wrapped cobwebs around Prickletail's wounds. By now they had stopped bleeding, but she wanted to make sure they stayed protected. Cobwebs would hopefully stop the bleeding all together and prevent them from opening up again.

"You should take it easy on that shoulder," she warned the older she-cat. "It looks like it will recover, but I want to make sure it doesn't get infected."

"Since when are _you_ allowed to give me orders, _loner_?" Prickletail sneered, whipping around so that she was now facing Nightpaw. Nightpaw only glared back in response. She would've loved to claw that smug look off Prickletail's face, but she kept herself from doing so.

"If you don't want your wounds tended to, just tell me," she hissed. "Otherwise, I won't waste my herbs on someone like you."

This time it was Prickletail's turn to stare at her in shock. Nightpaw grabbed the little herbs she had left and returned to Sagetail. He was still working on Stormpaw's wounds, especially around the neck where they looked worse.

"I should've known they would attack when we least expected," he muttered crossly. Nightpaw looked at him in confusion until her brother looked at her. "I tried warning Leafstar about the rogues, but she wouldn't listen," he explained.

"Leafstar has always been stubborn and proud," Sagetail meowed. "I suspect she doesn't want to admit that the Clan is vulnerable, especially during a time like this."

 _Why is every cat in the Clan so stubborn_? Nightpaw wondered. Part of her understood why though. They were proud, and probably had always fended for themselves. The Clans didn't want to rely on outsiders for help. Not unless they were desperate.

"Do you think the rogues will attack us again?" Nightpaw asked. She was afraid of what they might do to the Clan next. What worried her the most were the elders and the kits. They were the most vulnerable at this moment.

"These rogues are determined to take over the forest, for whatever reason," Stormpaw growled. "They think the sacrifices they made are making them stronger."

Nightpaw hadn't missed how Sagetail stiffened at the mention of 'sacrifices'. Clearly the term was something that made every cat in the Clan uneasy. Nightpaw had learned through Stormpaw that that was how Willowshade's mother was killed, and than Cricketpaw. These rogues truly were monsters if they could do something like that.

"Why isn't Leafstar doing anything to warn the Clan? Doesn't she see that the rogues really are more than just a threat?" Nightpaw demanded, looking at her mentor when he finally finished working on her brother's wounds.

"Leafstar will wait until the situation is truly desperate, before calling for help," Sagetail replied. "It's just how she is. The other Clans are the same way; they won't admit that they are weak. Otherwise it leaves them open to attack."

She nodded in reluctant understanding. That made sense. The Clans were just acting on instinct. Out on the street they would have asked for help without hesitation. Loners always looked after themselves, but Nightpaw had learned to offer help to those who needed it. Stormpaw had done the same thing when Willowshade first met them.

By now everyone was talking about the battle. Stormpaw had returned to the apprentice's den, and received a scolding from Flarepaw. Nightpaw watched on in amusement, and suddenly felt a pang for her brother.

She would never know what it was like to love someone. Stormpaw was lucky to have found Flarepaw. As a medicine cat apprentice she would never get that opportunity. Then again no cat in the Clan had ever shown any interest towards her. Petalwind was the only other cat who truly cared for her.

"They came out of nowhere," she heard Bouncefoot grumble. "I couldn't even pick up their scent."

"It's almost like they _knew_ to keep their scent hidden from us," Petalwind meowed in agreement. "Most rogues wouldn't be that smart."

"I can't believe Leafstar isn't doing anything to punish them," Jayflight hissed.

"You're surprised?" Furzepelt sneered with a roll of his eyes. "She's lost her mind. First she takes in three loners, and now they start attacking. I'm willing to bet that those loners are the reason they are attacking. StarClan's punishing us for letting them in."

Anger suddenly churned in Nightpaw's belly. From day one Furzepelt had never liked them. And now he was using StarClan to make it seem like they were no good for the Clan. If she could she would have clawed that smug look off his face, just like Prickletail.

"Would you shut up already?" Willowshade's meow made Nightpaw stare at her in disbelief. "StarClan has nothing to do with these attacks, and neither do they." Nightpaw already guessed who she was referring to. She was thankful Willowshade hadn't called them loners like everyone else seemed to. "These rogues have had this attack planned for moons, yet Leafstar's too stubborn to realize it."

For a moment Furzepelt just gaped at Willowshade. Usually she took his side without hesitation. But this time she stood up for them, surprising everyone. Finally the dark brown tom grunted and padded away, leaving everyone to look at one another in confusion.

"Thank you," Nightpaw murmured once the awkward silence followed. "You didn't have to stand up for us like that."

"It wasn't for you," Willowshade snapped. Nightpaw only rolled her eyes in response. As quickly as she had changed, she was back. "I'm tired of hearing him complain all the time."

With that being said, she got to her paws and stalked away, leaving Nightpaw to watch on in annoyance. Something told her that it was more than that. Willowshade actually _cared_ for them, as much as she would hate to admit it. And that was more than enough for Nightpaw.

* * *

 **AN: This chapter was so much fun to write! Sorry it took a while to update though, I have been busy as usual ;) Anywho, at least we finally get to see some action here. I know the last few chapters were a bit boring, since they were mostly informational and all that fun stuff. But at least the plot is finally moving along.**

 **QOTD: So just out of curiosity, who is your favorite character in this story? I can't resist asking XD**

 **Snowfall16 - That's alright, I understand! I love swim meets, I got to attend my first one this year at the Special Olympics. And I got second place for the backstroke :D You're probably right about that being a good amount... sometimes 3k and 4k can be too long to keep a reader's attention, unless it's something interesting. I hope you did well at your swim meet! :D**


	18. Eighteen: The Gathering

**Chapter Eighteen – The Gathering**

"I wanna pway!" Stormpaw watched in amusement as Daisykit tried to join in the kits' antics. They were starting to talk now, and seemed to have endless energy. Despite the threat of the rogues it was still nice to see that the kits were doing so well. Fallowtail had just as much fun watching her kits, though she did look exhausted now.

By now Stormpaw's wounds were almost healed. It had taken a few days for the swelling around his neck to go down. But thanks to Nightpaw he was able to move without grinding his teeth in pain. He returned to his training just yesterday and had almost opened them up again. Mintspot was worried that he was overworking himself.

Though he refused to admit it, Stormpaw was more scared of what would happen next. The rogues had fought without honor. It wasn't clear on when they would attack next. But they had made it clear that they would fight to the death if needed.

"Tonight there will be a Gathering," Leafstar announced as she had the Clan gathered around her den. "I have already decided on who will be attending: Mintspot, Bouncefoot, Petalwind, Jayflight, Willowshade, Stormpaw and Flarepaw. Sagetail, you may bring Nightpaw with you."

Nightpaw's eyes went wide, and for a moment Stormpaw wondered why. He'd only heard stories about Gatherings. Apparently it was when the Clans met under the full moon. It was a time of peace and sharing news between the three Clans. He thought all of those different scents and sounds would be overwhelming, especially to someone who was used to being on their own.

"You're seriously letting those loners go?" Furzepelt sneered. "This Clan is going to be a laughingstock, I can't just see it now."

"If you don't like my decision, Furzepelt, you are more than welcome to lead the Clan yourself." Leafstar's eyes narrowed into tiny slits as she glared at the dark brown tom. Furzepelt looked like he was ready to argue when he thought better of it. A few others had glared at him as well, surprising Stormpaw.

 _It's hard to believe that Leafstar is his mother_ , Stormpaw thought. Then again he could see the family resemblance. Furzepelt had Leafstar's eyes and fierce attitude. When it came to defending what he believed in, he would jump at the opportunity. The two were more alike than he realized.

"I wonder if the other Clans will mention the rogues?" Willowshade whispered once the Clan dispersed. Flarepaw sat beside Stormpaw, her shoulders trembling with what Stormpaw thought was excitement. "They did say they were planning on attacking the other Clans."

"Maybe they were testing us," Flarepaw suggested. "To see if there was any weak points they could take on."

Stormpaw's eyes lit with understanding. That made sense, in an odd way. These rogues probably knew they wouldn't be able to take the Clan on all at once. So they attacked any patrol they could find. One the Clan started growing weaker from these constant attacks, than they would fully strike.

"I wish Leafstar would listen to us," he growled, glancing towards the ForestClan leader. "She just refuses to admit that the Clan is under attack."

"She's almost as stubborn as you are," Flarepaw added in a purr to Willowshade. The light gray she-cat only rolled her eyes in response. "But I think she'll listen to reason when the attacks continue. She's got a good heart, it just isn't in the right place at the moment."

Again Stormpaw was surprised by Flarepaw's wisdom. She seemed more in-tune with the Clan than she realized.

"It's time to leave," Petalwind meowed when she approached them. "Are you ready?"

"I am!" Flarepaw exclaimed as she jumped to her paws. "I've always wanted to meet the other Clans, ever since you mentioned them."

Petalwind only purred and flicked her tail across Flarepaw's ears. The four of them made their way towards the group already waiting to leave. Stormpaw had only just realized that Leafstar was leaving enough cats to keep the camp guarded. If the rogues tried attacking while the Clan was gone, they would be in for a nasty surprise.

Once Leafstar was ready she led the group through the undergrowth. Stormpaw only remembered that the Gatherings were held around three huge oak trees. Even from Twolegplace he could see them standing guard over the forest. They were like giant guardians. And even from here he could see them, despite the other trees that tried blocking them.

"It's a good night for the Gathering," Bouncefoot meowed as they wove in and out of the undergrowth. "The sky is clear."

"I just hope that the other Clans are doing well," Mintspot told him. "We haven't heard anything from BoulderClan since the quarry flooded."

Stormpaw nodded in agreement, though he doubted anything too drastic had happened to them. From what he heard BoulderClan cats were fierce and more territorial than ForestClan and CreekClan combined. He didn't want to cross any of their warriors as far as he was concerned.

It wasn't long before the undergrowth was replaced with flattened grass and a few boulders that stretched across their path. Stormpaw blinked in surprise when he saw that cats had already arrived at the clearing. Leafstar waited near the edge of the slope until she was fully ready.

"This is always the worst part," Willowshade hissed under her breath. "We always have to wait until she's ready... and than the others are waiting for us."

Anxiety gnawed at Stormpaw's chest. He hadn't missed the fact that everyone else was just as anxious. Something told him that this wasn't going to end well. He had a bad feeling about it, especially when he picked up an unfamiliar scent in the air.

"Alright, let's go," Leafstar announced. With one flick of her tail she led everyone else towards the clearing. Almost at once a wave of scents hit Stormpaw's lungs. His fur bristled as he saw unfamiliar pelts. Eyes were drawn towards him as he stood there, shaking with fear.

"Hey, you must be a new apprentice!" Stormpaw jumped when a ginger and white she-cat suddenly approached him. "It's okay, everyone's first time can be unnerving," she added.

Stormpaw barely noticed that Flarepaw was already mingling with the other cats, acting like nothing was wrong. His eyes narrowed when he realized just how brave she really was. Here he was shaking with fear while she just approached everyone in a carefree way.

"Are all Gatherings like this?" he asked as he struggled to relax.

"At first they can be," the she-cat replied in a purr. "But you get used to it after a while. My name's Sandpaw by the way."

"I'm Stormpaw," he introduced himself with a curt nod. "Are you from CreekClan? Your scent is familiar." Sandpaw beamed with pride and nodded.

"Yep! I'm one of the best and brightest apprentices in the Clan. And Pebblestar said that I might be getting my warrior name soon," she boasted.

Stormpaw resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was about to say something when a new cat joined them. This one was a dark black tom with amber eyes, whose fur was sleek and lacked any white on it. Broad shoulders and powerful muscles rippled beneath his pelt, and for a moment Stormpaw found him intimidating.

"So _you're_ the loner everyone's been talking about," the tom grunted as he shoved Sandpaw rudely to the side. "I heard Leafstar took you in without hesitation; something about her growing soft for loners and rogues."

"That's not true!" Stormpaw spat, letting his fur bristle slightly as he remembered how angry Leafstar had been with him when he attacked Willowshade. "She banished me from the Clan... but then she took me in again. Rogues are attacking the Clan, we need all the help we can get."

Sandpaw gaped at him while the dark tom smirked in triumph. Stormpaw nearly slapped his tail across his muzzle when he realized what he just said. Admitting the Clan was weak was like treason. He remembered what Mintspot had told him too late.

"Actually rogues have been attacking our patrols too," Sandpaw admitted. "They might be the same ones."

Horror surged through Stormpaw when she said that. The rogues were getting more bold in their attacks. And it seemed like they were growing in numbers. Stormpaw wondered if BoulderClan was facing the same battle. The dark tom hadn't said anything, but he did look thoughtful.

"I believe it's time for the Gathering to begin." Stormpaw looked up to see a small looking light gray she-cat standing on the branch of one of the oak trees. Leafstar sat on the branch of another oak tree, while a mottled dark brown tom sat on the other. "Pebblestar, would you like to begin?" The she-cat dipped her head formally to the mottled dark brown tom. He nodded and stood up once she took a step back.

"CreekClan is doing well," he announced. "We have one new warrior with us tonight: Hawkclaw. He has trained hard, and has become a valuable member of our Clan."

"Hawkclaw! Hawkclaw!" Stormpaw listened in surprise as everyone cheered his name. It seemed as though everyone really did get along. And he noticed a light gray tom was standing alone, with his chest puffed out from pride.

"BoulderClan is doing well," Sparrowstar meowed once Pebblestar stepped back down his branch. "We also celebrate new life within our Clan: Springbrook has given birth to three healthy kits, one tom and two she-cats." Cheers followed Sparrowstar's words, and then it was Leafstar's turn.

"ForestClan is thriving," she began. "We have two new warriors who are with us tonight: Willowshade and Jayflight." More cheers followed as the two new warriors raised their chins. "I would also like to make a point that rogues have been spotted on the edge of our territory. These rogues are dangerous, and fight without honor. Anyone who sees them should know to fight back, and make sure they do not take over the forest."

This time silence met Leafstar's words. Stormpaw's ears flattened when she didn't even mention him or Flarepaw. Her gaze flickered towards the other leaders as they looked at one another warily. It was obvious that they were hiding something.

"We too have noticed more rogues in our territory," Sparrowstar murmured, sounding more hesitant than before. "I thought it was just us who suffered their brunt, but apparently we are not alone."

"It is true that they have become more ambitious," Pebblestar put in. "But I don't believe it's a threat we have to worry about. They have never been a problem before."

Anxious whispers suddenly filled the clearing, and Stormpaw realized that everyone had been suffering at the claws of these rogues. He exchanged a look with Flarepaw before standing up. Maybe if he spoke up now Leafstar would listen to reason.

"These rogues have been planning this attack for moons!" he yowled, raising his voice above the others. "They are the reason so many warriors and apprentices have died, and they need—" Leafstar's yowl suddenly cut him off. Faster than anyone could react, Ravenflight had him pinned to the ground, jostling everyone as they started backing away.

"That is enough," Leafstar spat while Ravenflight held him down. "No apprentice of mine is going to speak out during the Gathering."

Fear wormed it's way through Stormpaw. He was afraid that Ravenflight would kill him if she was given the chance. She held her paw close to his neck, and the pain from earlier suddenly returned.

"How do you know so much about these rogues?" she demanded, pressing her paw harder against his neck. Stormpaw tried not to wince from the pain, and instead glared back at her.

"I've seen what they can do," he spat. "You won't be able to beat them alone. The Clans need to work together in order to defeat them."

Almost at once yowls of outrage followed his words. Stormpaw braced himself against the onslaught of insults that followed. Obviously working together wasn't such a good idea. But it was the only one he had. He couldn't let someone else die just because these leaders were too stubborn.

"Leafstar, I suggest that you keep your apprentices under control," Sparrowstar crowed. Amusement gleamed in her eyes as she watched the scene unfold.

Embarrassment washed over Stormpaw when Ravenflight finally released him. By now everyone had split apart as clouds began covering the moon. The Gathering was coming to an end as Leafstar jumped down from her branch. Stormpaw looked at her hopefully, but only received a glare.

"You weren't going to end the Gathering without us, were you?" A new voice suddenly spoke up, causing everyone to freeze in their pawsteps. Stormpaw whipped around in time to see a pair of familiar looking green eyes glaring back at him. "We _so_ wanted to meet the other Clans."

"Who are you?" Pebblestar demanded, his fur standing on end as more eyes began appearing in the darkness.

"I am Strikestar," the tom explained with a sneer. "And this is RogueClan."

* * *

 **AN: I'm having way too much fun writing these chapters! Only a few left before this is over. What did everyone think of that cliffhanger? Don't ya just love 'em? Also, if you ever get the chance, check out You Don't Know How Beautiful You Are by Jon Foreman. It's such a good song, and it has a good message behind it :D Also, just wanted to let everyone know I'll be on a cruise next week, so no Wi-Fi. There will probably be one more update before I leave, just to keep everyone satisfied ;)**

 **QOTD: What do you think of the rogues now? I imagine a few of my readers are rolling their eyes now at the name XD**

 **Smash765 - Yep, the rogues are definitely getting more bold. And of course the other Clans knew about these attacks, but as usual they're too stubborn to admit they need help. Willowshade is definitely my favorite, though Leafstar and Furzepelt for some reason are my other two favs. I just love characters who argue with each other too much XD Willowshade is finally accepting the loners, it only took her how many chapters :P**

 **Snowfall16 - Hehe, Flarepaw is kind of flat, but I made her that way on purpose :P She does have her brave moments, but there aren't too many. And that's awesome, congratulations! That's pretty much how I was at my swim meet. There were lots of fast people and than slower people, and I was in the middle. And don't worry, it did make sense :)**

 **Feraa - They are a close competition. I think everyone's voting for Willowshade though now :)**


	19. Nineteen: RogueClan

**Chapter Nineteen – RogueClan**

"RogueClan?" some cat repeated. "What sort of name is that?"

"The kind of name that gives us power," Strikestar snapped. His fur was bristling as he stood in the clearing. Stormpaw saw him fully for the first time, and realized just how big of a threat he was. "I am not here to waste my time with your petty arguing. We were granted the chance to become a Clan, and we will take some of your territory as our reward."

Yowls of protest quickly followed his words. Horror surged through Stormpaw when he saw that some cats were actually siding with Strikestar. He watched as Ravenflight, ForestClan's own deputy, trotted over to his side in a carefree way. He half expected her to claw Strikestar's ears off. Instead she did something that cased every cat to gape.

"It is good to see you again, old friend," she purred, wrapping her tail with his.

"And you as well," Strikestar replied, his voice sounding blunt but sincere.

The peace that had filled the clearing moments ago was shattered as outrage surrounded the Clans. Stormpaw dropped his gaze when Leafstar emerged from the crowd. Pure rage gleamed within her eyes as she glared at Ravenflight. The black she-cat simply raised her chin and stared at Leafstar defiantly.

"My own deputy, a traitor?" Leafstar spat the words as she glared.

"Wasn't it obvious?" Ravenflight sneered. "Strikestar needed knowledge from the Clans, an inside source. So he came to me. I was young than, and I wanted to be leader more than anything. Sadly they chose _you_ as leader for some reason, despite how weak and foolish you are."

Leafstar flinched, her eyes narrowing as she looked down at the ground. "I-I thought that you were my friend," she whispered.

Ravenflight only curled her lips in response. Then her gaze flickered towards Stormpaw. He didn't realize until now that he was alone. Flarepaw sat in the back of the crowd, while Nightpaw was with the other medicine cats. She seemed to know that something was wrong; she kept glancing between Sagetail and Stormpaw.

"I never realized that my own kits were standing right in front of me until now." All at once the world felt like it had stopped. Stormpaw felt himself shaking with fear, shock and anger as he stared dully at the deputy. "I left them because I knew they were strong enough to hold their own. And I was right."

"I am not your kit!" Stormpaw spat. By now his pelt was standing on end, and he struggled to keep himself from attacking her. "Our mother abandoned us when we were kits. I had to struggle in order to keep us alive!"

Amusement gleamed in Ravenflight's eyes. She simply flicked her tail and glanced at Strikestar, who seemed to be lost in thought.

"It seems you have much to think about," Strikestar meowed at last. "I will give you a moon to decide what you will do. Otherwise, we will fight for this forest." His claws slid out as if to make a point, than he waved his tail and led the group away.

Shame crawled through Stormpaw as he watched Ravenflight leave with them. He couldn't call her his mother. Not unless he had to, and even than he wouldn't. She had betrayed her own Clan to these rogues. She was probably responsible for Fallingfeather and Cricketpaw's deaths. And she would be responsible for the death of many others.

"What are we going to do?" A silvery gray she-cat was standing in the clearing as she asked the question no one wanted to ask.

"I think... I think that he is right," Pebblestar replied, his voice still shaken from tonight's events. "We need time to think about this, and decide what we will do. These rogues are more of a threat than we realized."

As he said that the Clans began to disperse. Stormpaw stood alone once again while Leafstar gathered her warriors. He could feel their glares burning into his pelt. They suspected he was working with Ravenflight. After her little announcement he couldn't really blame them.

He stayed in the back of the Clan while Leafstar led them back to camp. A solemn silence filled the air. Stormpaw felt a heavy weight on his shoulders, and he suddenly realized that it wasn't just him who was effected by this news. He glanced towards Nightpaw and saw that she was struggling to keep her gaze focused.

"Leafstar, you're back later than we were expecting!" Harestep meowed, bounding over to them like nothing had happened.

"We ran into a bit of trouble," she explained. "Harestep, gather everyone around my den. There is something I must share with them."

Harestep's eyes narrowed in confusion before he did as he was told. It wasn't long before the entire Clan was gathered, including Fallowtail and her kits. The elders stayed further apart from everyone, but they were leaning forward with interest when Leafstar jumped onto her favorite branch.

"What I am about to say will effect the entire Clan, in more ways than one," Leafstar began, stretching her gaze across the Clan. Stormpaw stiffened when she looked directly at him.

"Where is Ravenflight?" Furzepelt demanded.

"Let me get to that," Leafstar snapped. "As many of you know, our Clan has been under attack by rogues living outside the forest." Stormpaw didn't miss how everyone had started whispering to one another once she said that. The cats who'd attended the Gathering remained silent throughout the whole thing. They were already well aware of what just happened. "They have formed a Clan of their own, and have threatened to take over the entire forest."

Almost at once yowls of outrage followed her words. Stormpaw couldn't help but flinch when he realized just how desperate their situation was. These rogues were probably higher in numbers than they originally thought.

"That doesn't explain why Ravenflight is gone," Ryewhisker meowed. Leafstar only rolled her eyes in response.

"Ravenflight has betrayed the Clan," she hissed through what sounded like gritted teeth. "She was working for the rogues this entire time."

Silence filled the entire clearing. An eerie feeling suddenly washed over Stormpaw as he watched the others slowly react to this news. Ravenflight had always been their loyal deputy, or so they thought. No cat suspected that she would turn on them.

"This sort of mousebained nonsense is why you don't deserve to be our leader!" Furzepelt suddenly yowled. "It's because of you those rogues are attacking, and it's because of you the Clans are now mocking us!"

Every cat turned to glare at Furzepelt. Stormpaw half expected Leafstar to jump down and shred the dark tom's ears off. Instead she did something he never expected. She bowed her head in defeat and jumped off the leader's branch, and ran into the forest.

"Furzepelt, you're going to spend the rest of this moon cleaning out the elder's den," Mintspot growled before turning to the rest of the Clan. "Prickletail, I want you to lead a patrol and see if you can find Leafstar. If anything were to happen, she might need the support. Ryewhisker, can you take a hunting patrol and restock the fresh-kill pile?"

Ryewhisker dipped his head respectfully and gathered a group of cats, while Prickletail did the same. Furzepelt's eyes narrowed with outrage before doing as he was told as well. In a matter of heartbeats it felt like the Clan was returning to normal.

"How did you do that?" Stormpaw asked in fascination. These cats had listened to Mintspot without hesitation. It was obvious they needed someone right now who could lead them like that.

"It just takes practice," Mintspot replied with a smirk. "I've been watching Ravenflight and Leafstar longer than they realize."

Stormpaw stifled a purr before glaring at the mention of his so called 'mother'. How could Ravenflight be his mother? She had abandoned them in Twolegplace when they were still kits. He refused to believe anything she said. After all she had betrayed the Clan.

"I want to help look for Leafstar," he suddenly murmured, trying to push aside the thought of Ravenflight. Mintspot didn't look surprised like he was expecting. Instead his mentor nodded in understanding.

"Just make sure you keep an eye out for the rogues," Mintspot warned him. "They might try and take on stray patrols."

Stormpaw flicked his tail in acknowledgement. He took off into the forest before Mintspot could tell him anything else. The sun was just beginning to rise, and he hadn't even realized until now that he hadn't had decent sleep since the night before.

 _Everyone else will be feeling the same way_ , he reminded himself. _It's been a long night_.

He shook himself and tried to think of anything but the exhaustion that was creeping over him. The Clan needed someone who could understand the rogues and their ways. Stormpaw had been watching them and knew what they were like. He'd seen them long before he even joined the Clan.

The apprentice suddenly skidded to a halt when he found himself in a smaller clearing surrounded by willow trees. Stormpaw blinked and saw two streams that were twining together. They wove between a boulder that seemed to be placed purposely in the center. Along the boulder grew tiny looking blue flowers.

He wasn't surprised to see Leafstar sitting under one of the willow trees. Her head was hanging low as he approached her cautiously. She seemed more unkempt than ever, and Stormpaw wondered if Ravenflight's betrayal had hit her harder than she wanted to admit.

"This used to be our favorite spot when we were apprentices." Her words caught Stormpaw off guard. He stopped in his tracks and stared at her in surprise. "I never suspected Ravenflight would be working for the rogues, let alone have... _kits_." The disgust in her voice made Stormpaw wince, but he chose to keep on a straight face as he looked at her calmly.

"Leafstar, I know that it must be hard for you to understand," he began, letting his own words drag on while she turned to glare at him, "but Ravenflight is a traitor. We have to get the Clans together in order to defeat these rogues." Leafstar only rolled her eyes in response.

"Furzepelt was right about one thing – I should never have taken you or Nightpaw in," she spat. "I'm willing to bet that you were plotting with Ravenflight to take over the Clan when we least expected it."

Stormpaw's eyes widened in shock when she said that. Then he glared at her as hate suddenly took over.

"All I am trying to do is help!" he snarled. "I know what the rogues are like, and what they can do. But it's obvious you would rather let everyone die before admitting you need help. If you don't want me to help you fight them, than I'm leaving. It's not worth risking my life for someone who could care less about it."

Leafstar's mouth gaped open for a moment. It looked like she wanted to say something, but instead she closed her mouth and glared back. Faster than Stormpaw could react, she suddenly lashed out at him with her claws and had him pinned to the ground.

"I should have had you killed when I had the chance!" she yowled, pressing her claws against his throat.

"That is enough." Leafstar froze when a new voice spoke up, this one sounding eerily familiar.

Stormpaw tried to turn his head, but Leafstar still held him down. He managed to catch a glimpse of silvery white glowing in the shade. Fallingfeather. She must have known they would both end up here.

"F-Fallingfeather?" Leafstar nearly choked the name out. The pressure against Stormpaw's throat suddenly lifted. He struggled to kick his leader off and tried getting back to his paws.

"I thought that you could figure out what you were doing wrong on your own," Fallingfeather meowed. Her eyes narrowed as she looked coldly at Leafstar. "But it seems that I sadly made a mistake. Leafstar, you are too proud for your own good. The Clan needs your help against the rogues. Only an outsider can help you."

"Y-You said the same thing during my ceremony," Leafstar admitted. By now her voice was cracking. Stormpaw didn't miss how shaken she looked; she kept staring at Fallingfeather as if she expected the StarClan warrior to fade away at that moment. "Why should I trust an outsider, especially when I know who his mother is?"

"Lineage does not matter to StarClan," Fallingfeather replied. She glanced at Stormpaw sympathetically, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "A storm will bring the Clans together in a time of darkness. A storm that has been brewing long since the rogues appeared."

"Does Strikestar really have nine lives?" Stormpaw asked. He didn't meet Leafstar's look of confusion when Fallingfeather had recited that prophecy.

"I am afraid that he does," she told him. "The rogues have their own ancestors... and how they were able to grant nine lives is beyond our knowledge. We cannot see beyond our boundaries."

Stormpaw nodded in understanding. That made sense. But it also left him worrying about how they would deal with Strikestar. The dark tom had already gained access to nine lives. He was leading a dangerous Clan and had Ravenflight by his side. Either way they would have to be stopped. Stormpaw wasn't going to let them kill anyone else.

* * *

 **AN: I bet everyone was shocked when they read the first few lines ;) I love it when characters are suddenly connected in more ways than one. And I'm sure that no one saw that coming.**

 **QOTD: So, who do you think Stormpaw's father is? Gotta love guessing games :P**

 **Snowfall16 - XD I actually did get all of that. It's okay, I understand. I just wanted to post before Sunday; I won't be around to post for a whole week. They probably will come up with a better name once everything is said and done. And I'm glad you liked the cliffhanger, I definitely enjoy writing them ;)**


	20. Twenty: Aftermath

**Chapter Twenty – Aftermath**

Worry clouded over Nightpaw as she curled up to sleep. She was well aware of the scornful looks that everyone gave her. They believed she was a traitor. That she was working for her mother, Ravenflight.

Part of her had always known that something wasn't right between them. Ravenflight had always given her a strange look whenever they crossed paths. They even looked alike at some point. Nightpaw had her green eyes and dark black fur.

 _I'm nothing like you_ , she reminded herself. She shook her head and tried to cast the thoughts away. Thinking about it now wouldn't get her any sleep. Besides, the Clan would need to be looked after since this 'RogueClan' was around.

...

Early morning sunlight shown through the apprentice's den. A groan escaped from Stormpaw when he struggled back to his paws. He hadn't gotten much sleep after finding Leafstar. His encounter with Fallingfeather had left his mind reeling. Flarepaw slept soundly beside him, oblivious to everything that had happened. Dustpaw slept farther away, his pelt slowly rising and falling.

Stormpaw sighed and padded out of the den, leaving them be. What had happened the other day left the Clan shaken and divided. Leafstar still had not named a new deputy yet. The elders had been complaining about it since than. Stormpaw had learned that a new deputy must be named before the next day, otherwise the warrior code would be broken.

He shook his head at the thought and glanced around warily. Mintspot was keeping the Clan distracted while Leafstar continued avoiding everyone. She stayed in her den, separated from the world. Stormpaw was tempted to claw her ears off and knock some sense back into her head. But that wasn't in his place to do such a thing.

"How's Leafstar doing?" he asked when he approached Mintspot. The light gray tom had been working his tail off all day and night. He needed a break more than anyone else. Stormpaw didn't dare ask him to go train during this time. With Leafstar refusing to meet with anyone and Mintspot taking over for the time being, now wasn't the right time to ask.

"I don't know," Mintspot replied in a grim voice. "I haven't heard from her since last night. Sagetail hasn't said anything since he gave her the thyme; I think they're both hiding something from the Clan." Thyme; Stormpaw had no idea what that was used for. But if it helped Leafstar than that was what mattered.

He spotted Flarepaw leaving for some training with Petalwind. The two looked exhausted despite getting a full night's rest. Stormpaw waved his tail before bounding over to Flarepaw's side.

"You'll be careful out there, won't you?" he asked. Flarepaw only rolled her eyes and flicked her tail across his shoulder.

"Of course I will be," she replied in a purr. "I'm not the one you should be worrying about; I can take care of myself you know."

Stormpaw had to stifle a purr of his own as they turned to leave. Flarepaw was so much more spirited than he gave her credit for.

"Alright, lovebirds. Cut the slack, we have work to do," Petalwind murmured.

Embarrassment washed over Stormpaw as he watched them leave. He didn't want anything to happen to either of them. The Clan had already lost so much. If anything happened to them he would never forgive himself.

"Leafstar hasn't called for a new deputy." Stormpaw looked towards the elder's den and saw how anxious Greentail was getting. The orange tom wasn't used to the lack of Clan costumes. Stormpaw had a feeling that things weren't going to get much better. Not unless Leafstar stepped forward and actually did something useful for a change.

"Calm down, I'm sure she already has someone in mind," Tinywing reassured him.

Stormpaw could hear the doubt in her voice though. She knew that things weren't going well. He glanced over his shoulder towards Leafstar's den and clenched his jaw. It was time someone set things straight. If it meant getting his ears clawed off, than maybe it was he who needed to talk to her.

He took the chance and stalked over to Leafstar's den. The camp had an eerie sense of quiet about it. Everyone seemed to know that something was wrong with Leafstar. She hadn't left her den since last night. He had to figure out what to do, even if it meant getting himself hurt in the process.

"Leafstar." He whispered the name, but it was loud enough for her to hear. A simple flick of her tail was enough to draw him in. Stormpaw raised his chin as he entered. She was sitting in her den, her shoulders hunched as she stared at the wall. "Leafstar, the Clan needs you," he told her.

"They don't need me," Leafstar retorted. "I've only made mistake after mistake. What if I make another? What if this time my mistake costs them their lives?"

"You won't," Stormpaw reassured her. He swallowed as he remembered how much hatred she had shown towards him, and Nightpaw. Why should he be encouraging her? Then a small voice answered his silent question.

 _Because it is the right thing to do_. Fallingfeather's voice. Stormpaw stiffened and wondered if she had known all along about Ravenflight's secret. She probably did. Maybe it was Ravenflight who had led her to the rogues after all.

"You can't live your life in fear," he quickly added, remembering how he had felt when he was just a kit. "It won't get you anywhere."

Something flashed in Leafstar's eyes. Stormpaw took a step back, afraid she might attack again. To his surprise and relief she didn't. Instead she let out a purr and stood up.

"You are right," she told him. "It is time I stopped living in fear, and started defending my Clan." Hope flared within Stormpaw for the first time in moons. Leafstar suddenly looked back down at him, and he couldn't help but stare down at his paws. "When did you turn into such a wise apprentice?" she asked.

"I wouldn't exactly call myself wise," Stormpaw replied with a shrug. He was half embarrassed that she had said that, yet strangely proud at the same time. "I guess it just comes with experience."

Leafstar nodded and padded out of her den, leading Stormpaw out in the process. He hadn't realized until now that the Clan wasn't even gathered around the clearing. Instead they were split apart in separate groups. Some cats shot Leafstar hostile looks while others looked at her hopefully. Mintspot was the first to approach her.

"I hope you don't mind, I sent out a hunting patrol earlier," he apologized with a dip of his head.

"Don't apologize," Leafstar reassured him. "I am the one who should be sorry. I should have taken responsibility when I didn't. I hope you can forgive me."

Mintspot seemed more than pleased by her apology. Stormpaw stifled a purr as he padded away to join Dustpaw by the apprentice's den.

"You have been through a lot lately," Mintspot murmured. "I think given the situation, your actions are understandable." Stormpaw didn't miss the doubt in Leafstar's eyes when Mintspot said that.

"Either way, it is time I named a new deputy," she meowed, raising her voice so that everyone heard. Stormpaw glanced over his shoulder and saw that Greentail was watching from the elder's den. Hopefully this would stop the old tom's rantings for a while. "I don't think I have to explain my choice this time. I say these words before the spirits of StarClan, so that they may hear and approve my choice. Mintspot will be my deputy."

Most of the Clan wasn't surprised with her choice. Mintspot's eyes widened in shock when she made her decision loud and clear. Then he ducked his head in embarrassment when the Clan cheered his name. Stormpaw cheered loudest, happy for his mentor who had taken so much time to help the Clan.

"I would also like to give an apprentice his warrior name," she added when the cheering had died down. "He has already proven himself during the Gathering." Leafstar's eyes fell on Dustpaw, and the light brown tom stared at her in disbelief. "Ryewhisker, do you believe your apprentice is ready to become a warrior?"

"I do," Ryewhisker replied without hesitation.

"Then I, Leafstar, leader of ForestClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Dustpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Dustpaw was trembling, and Stormpaw understood why.

 _Cricketpaw should be here with him_ , he thought bitterly. He wondered if she was in StarClan, watching over her brother's warrior ceremony. He hoped she was. Dustpaw deserved that much at least.

"I do," Dustpaw replied confidently.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Dustpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Dustfur. StarClan honors you for your courage and will to carry on, even during the darkest times, and we welcome you as a full member of ForestClan."

Pride gleamed in Dustfur's eyes as the Clan cheered his name. Life was slowly returning to normal now. Stormpaw hoped that this RogueClan knew what they were getting themselves into. Because the Clans would fight for their territory, even to the death. Now he understood what it meant to be a true warrior. And he would defend this Clan with his life when it came down to it.

* * *

 **AN: So sorry it took so long to update. Normally it doesn't take this long. But I got back from my cruise a week ago and had a lot to catch up on. Being away can do that to ya XD So I've been listening to Of Monsters and Men and the Lumineers a lot lately... Has anyone heard the song Charlie Boy from the Lumineers? If not than I highly recommend it, especially with Independence Day approaching tomorrow. It's such a beautiful and touching song.**

 **QOTD: How do you think this story is going to end? I can't resist asking ;)**

 **Snowfall16 - He just doesn't want to admit that his mother was a crazed Clan cat, especially one like Ravenflight. I can understand your confusion though XD And I don't mind if you use that name. Heck, Ravenflight is such a common name that I'm sure most people use it in their stories. And lol, that would infuriate Furzepelt. I could just see his reaction now :P But I won't be giving anything away until the end, 'cause I love making people wait ;)**

 **Smash765 - Well, you sort of got to see it. Though it was a tad short. I might make a longer chapter based on her thoughts and what she might do to Ravenflight now that she knows. And you might or might not be right about their father :P I'm not giving anything away just yet! I think she was hoping that the rogues would take them in, but obviously things didn't go her way.**


	21. Twenty One: Abduction

**Chapter Twenty One – Abduction**

The Clan was preparing for the worst as days seemed to drag on without incident. Nightpaw let out a sigh as anxiety washed over her.

She hated waiting like this. Part of her knew that the rogues wanted them to wait. It was all part of their plan. Yet some small part of her wondered if they really were satisfied with just scaring the Clans. None of the patrols had picked up any scents. That was what bothered her the most.

 _It's like they know how to hide themselves_ , she thought angrily. She had no doubt it was Ravenflight who taught them that trick. _And to think, she used to be a trusted deputy_.

"Nightpaw, we need more chervil and borage," Sagetail meowed, distracting her from her thoughts. Nightpaw flinched and looked at her mentor warily before nodding.

Fallowtail had taken most of the borage. With leafbare approaching they would need borage for the cold season. Sagetail had warned her that when cats got sick, they relied on their medicine cats more than ever. So Nightpaw had taken it upon herself to memorize whichever herbs were needed for those kind of sicknesses.

"Should I go out and collect them?" she asked. Sagetail only shook his head, and frustration swelled in Nightpaw. She hated being stuck in the den; Sagetail was only concerned about what the rogues might do to them if they were captured.

"No, it's too dangerous to go out alone," he told her. "If you do go out, you must take someone who can protect you."

Nightpaw only rolled her eyes and stalked out of the den. She could just as easily take care of herself! She didn't need some cat taking care of her while she was looking for herbs. But Sagetail did have a good point. With a sigh she stared across the clearing, wondering if anyone would be willing to go with her.

Stormpaw was out training with Mintspot. The only other apprentice available was Flarepaw, and Nightpaw was in no hurry to talk to her.

There was something about that cat Nightpaw didn't like. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was jealousy over the fact that Stormpaw cared about her so much. But Flarepaw had been a little too willing to accept Clan ways. It was almost s if she knew what she was getting herself into.

She shook her head once more and finally stared at Furzepelt. He was the only other cat she could see at the moment. Yet another prickle of fear made her fur bristle slightly. She knew that he didn't like her or anyone else Leafstar had taken in. One wrong move and he'd flay them. Those were his exact words to her when she had become Sagetail's apprentice.

 _I don't have any other choice_ , she reminded herself. With a sigh she slowly approached him, ears flattening when the dark brown tom turned to glare at her.

"What?" he demanded, his voice gruff and harsh as always. Nightpaw only raised her chin and met his stare defiantly.

"I need someone who is willing to keep watch while I gather herbs," she explained, keeping her own voice from quivering with fear. Furzepelt's eyes widened in shock for a brief moment. Than he suddenly let out a rumble of laughter before swiping a paw across her muzzle. Nightpaw stumbled back in disbelief, feeling pain sear through her.

"I refuse to help some useless rogue, especially one who is related to a traitor!" he spat.

Nightpaw let her claws unsheathe as rage burned within her. She was tired of cats calling her 'some useless rogue'. As far as she was concerned, the Clan would never fully accept her or her brother. She hated them for that reason, but she had never let it get to her. Until now.

"Fine, the next time you come back with a wound, I won't be treating it," she hissed angrily. "Don't come crying to me when it becomes infected." She whipped around and left him before he could say anything else.

For a while Furzepelt had been quiet until now. She assumed it was from the shock of the news Leafstar had shared with the Clan. But seeing him now made her hate the useless furball even more, if that were possible.

 _All he ever does is complain about the decisions Leafstar makes_ , she thought bitterly. _And when he isn't complaining, he's thinking of more insults for us_.

She shook her head in frustration, deciding at that point that she didn't _need_ any help. Furzepelt was just an annoying tick that could be gotten rid of with mousebile. She grinned to herself at the thought, wondering if something like that were possible.

The forest was surprisingly quiet when she padded through the tunnel entrance. Nightpaw's ears swiveled back and forth as she listened for signs of the rogues. So far none of the patrols had seen them. It was like they were biding their time. And with Ravenflight giving them guidance, she was sure to know the best time for an attack.

Nightpaw shook her head as she thought of the former deputy. What had happened to change Ravenflight so much? Why would she betray her own Clan? Part of Nightpaw already knew that answer. She wanted power, and with Leafstar leading the Clan, that certainly wasn't going to happen. So she opted for the rogues instead.

Her nose wrinkled as she picked up the scent of borage. They grew along a grove of trees and were easy to spot. She had learned quickly which plants she could and couldn't trust. Sagetail had told her that she was a natural. And now she understood why.

"Well lookie what we have here." Nightpaw stiffened at the sound of a new voice. Her eyes widened when she saw a pair of amber eyes gleaming through the undergrowth. "Looks like those mousehearts decided to let their kits out to play," the tom sneered.

"I'm _not_ a kit!" Nightpaw snapped, letting her temper flare once again.

She quickly regretted that though as the tom suddenly lunged forward. Nightpaw held back a gasp of shock as he slammed his paw into her shoulder, sending her flying. She didn't have time to react as he jumped over her and placed a claw over her neck.

"You were saying, _kit_?" he growled.

Panic replaced the anger she felt earlier. Nightpaw struggled against her attacker, but he put all his strength into making sure she couldn't squirm out of his grasp. She was about to let out a warning cry when he suddenly slammed his paw against her vulnerable forehead. Pain exploded within her, and she began to see black spots at the edge of her vision.

"N-No, I can't—" Nightpaw stopped herself as she felt a pounding headache. The tom only chuckled and shook his head in amusement.

"You filthy forest rats really think you can defeat us?" he asked in a mocking tone. "I'm willing to bet that even if I hadn't beaten you, you still wouldn't have the guts to take me."

Nightpaw couldn't answer. Her lungs were burning along with her head. The tom just stood there and watched as the world went black around her. All Nightpaw could think about was asking for forgiveness by Stormpaw. She knew her brother wouldn't tolerate knowing that she was kidnapped, especially by these rogues.

...

The day had gone relatively normal. Stormpaw spent much of the afternoon hunting and training with Petalwind and Flarepaw. Mintspot was still helping Leafstar adjust to the shock of Ravenflight's betrayal. Though she had shown she was recovering, she still fell into what Stormpaw thought was some kind of shell.

He shook his head at the thought, wondering if she would ever fully recover. Leafstar was a strong and capable leader. Stormpaw had learned that when he first joined the Clan. But seeing her now made him realize just how vulnerable she really was.

"Tomorrow we should try hunting for squirrels," Petalwind suggested as they made their way back to camp. By now the sun was beginning to sink. Patrols were increased at this time of the day. Mintspot had made it so that all the borders were checked before moonhigh.

 _The rogues can't cross the border if they know we're watching them_ , he thought proudly.

"I'd like that," Flarepaw purred in response. "Back in the city we used to hunt squirrels like they were nothing, remember?" Flarepaw glanced at Stormpaw, but than her eyes narrowed in concern when he didn't respond. "Stormpaw?" she pressed, nudging him gently on the shoulder.

He looked at her in surprise before shaking his head once more. "Sorry, I was just thinking," he murmured.

"About what?" Flarepaw asked.

"Well, I'm just worried about these rogues," he admitted. "They've really shaken the Clan, in more ways than one. And Ravenflight, how could she betray the Clan like that?"

Flarepaw was silent for a moment. Petalwind seemed lost in her own thoughts as they returned to camp. Right now an eerie sense of calm seemed to fill the clearing when they arrived through the tunnel. But the moment was lost on them when Stormpaw saw Sagetail.

"What happened?" Stormpaw demanded, taking a step forward when he noticed how anxious Sagetail looked.

"It's... it's Nightpaw," Sagetail rasped. "She's disappeared."

Horror surged within Stormpaw when the medicine cat said that.

"What?" His voice was barely a whisper. All the anxiety from earlier returned in an instant. He thought she would have stayed in camp after the Gathering that had happened.

"She disappeared," Sagetail repeated himself. "I needed herbs collected out in the forest, and I assumed she would take someone with her. I didn't realize she would go alone."

Stormpaw could hear the grief and anger in Sagetail's voice. His claws suddenly unsheathed as he glared at the medicine cat. So technically this was all his fault! He was ready to attack when he felt a tail touch his shoulder.

"Don't," Flarepaw warned him. "You're only just getting on her good side; you won't want to make Leafstar angry again."

He let out a huff of frustration before realizing she was right. With a sigh he glared back at Sagetail, wondering just what had happened to his sister.

"Do you know where she would have gone?" he asked.

"She would have gone to a grove of pine trees a little away from camp," Sagetail told him. "I'm certain that's where she would go."

Stormpaw nodded and turned away, ignoring the look of confusion in Flarepaw's eyes.

"Where are you going?" she asked as she bounded after him.

"I'm going to look for my sister," he growled, determination clawing at his heart.

He wouldn't stop until he knew for sure that she was safe. The Clan had no idea just how much he cared for his sibling. If it came to it, he would die for her. And he knew that she felt the same about him. He sent a silent prayer to StarClan so that she would survive whatever ordeal she was now facing.

* * *

 **AN: Finally updated! Again it was another short chapter, but it is a major turning point in the story. Only a few more chapters are left before this is finished :) Than I'll be working on the sequel, and a few other stories I have planned.**

 **QOTD: So, which game console do you play, if you own any? My favorite is either the 3DS or the XBox One :)**

 **Snowfall16 - Yeah, she did kind of recover a little too quickly in that chapter, but I never said she made a full recovery ;) Plus it would be a bit boring if I spent the next few chapters just discussing how depressed and angry she was. And don't worry, I have something much more dramatic in mind for Stormpaw :P He's gonna be in for a nasty shock by the time this is over.**


	22. Twenty Two: An Explanation

**Chapter Twenty Two – An Explanation**

"What have we got here?" Amusement sounded in Ravenflight's voice as she was dragged into the alley. Nightpaw's claws dug into the cold ground. She hated being treated like some piece of crowfood. "My, my, it seems as though dear Leafstar has failed you, again," she purred in a silky voice.

Nightpaw raised her chin defiantly. Yet shame crawled through her as she recalled how she had been captured. The two toms that had attacked her were ruthless and cruel. She had several scratches on her flank now, and was bleeding heavily from a wound the one tom had given her. But that wasn't the worst of their torture.

"Leafstar didn't fail me," she spat, letting anger draw out her voice. "You did, when you abandoned me and Stormpaw in Twolegplace!"

Her claws unsheathed as she prepared to fight Ravenflight. But one of the toms suddenly held her down, sneering as she struggled under his grip. Ravenflight only chuckled and sat down in front of Nightpaw, wrapping her tail neatly around her paws.

Once again, Nightpaw had to wonder how Leafstar could have trusted this cat in the first place. Ravenflight was never loyal. She had wanted this kind of power all her life. Nightpaw could see that now in her eyes. But the more Nightpaw studied her, the more she realized just how cold and cruel Ravenflight was.

"I expected that kind of response," she meowed. "The only reason I left you there was because I knew you would survive. Both of you have the strength and spirit of RogueClan, and I expected nothing less."

A shiver ran through Nightpaw. So she wouldn't have cared if they died? How could a mother be so cruel to her own kits? Nightpaw let her claws unsheathe once again. This time she raked them over the tom's muzzle, ignoring his wails of pain as she managed to break free. Despite the pain from her wounds, hatred for Ravenflight gave her strength.

"You do not deserve to be called a mother!" she snarled. "I will never join you. Kill me if you want, it won't get you anywhere." Ravenflight shook her head and flicked her tail across Nightpaw's shoulders.

"Oh, but I think it will," she replied. "Imagine what your dear brother would think if he found out you were dead?"

Horror surged through Nightpaw at the thought of her brother. Stormpaw had always been there to keep her safe. He would be devastated if he found out something had happened to her. Finally, she lowered her head and looked down at her paws.

"Good," Ravenflight growled. She turned towards a black she-cat with amber eyes. "I want you to take care of her wounds. Use whatever you were able to collect."

The black she-cat nodded and helped Nightpaw back to her paws. Her teeth ground together in pain, but she managed to keep quiet as she was led away. All the while, she could feel every eye on her. This place was full of dread and gloom. Nightpaw didn't want to be here. Yet somehow she was given no choice.

"I'm sorry for what they did to you," the she-cat murmured as she sorted through piles of herbs. Nightpaw recognized some of them almost instantly. She recognized chervil, cobwebs, coltsfoot and even comfrey. "I did my best in collecting herbs, but to be honest, I don't know how to use them," she explained. Nightpaw sighed in annoyance and pointed her tail to the chervil.

"Use that," she meowed. "And use the goldenrod along with it. You're supposed to chew them into a poultice."

The she-cat's ears pricked forward immediately. She grabbed the plants in question and started chewing them into a poultice. Nightpaw then had to instruct her on how to apply the herbs before wrapping cobwebs over her wounds.

"How do you know so much about these?" the she-cat asked.

"I was trained as a medicine cat apprentice," Nightpaw explained, wincing as the she-cat tried applying the poultice over her wounds. They still stung, and even now she was struggling not to claw her ears off. "It was... the only thing I was good." She added the last part bitterly, remembering how she had failed at warrior training.

"My name's Shadepelt, by the way," the she-cat suddenly introduced herself. "I wish they hadn't hurt you so much... not all of us are this bad."

Nightpaw looked at Shadepelt curiously. For the first time she felt a strange connection with this cat. Shadepelt was one of the first RogueClan cats to actually show any kindness to her, even if they had first met.

 _I wonder if we would have been friends at one time_ , she thought with a tilt of her head.

"My name's Nightpaw," she replied, feeling slightly relieved when Shadepelt had finished wrapping cobwebs over her wounds. "Why are you part of this Clan?" she suddenly asked.

Shadepelt flattened her ears, "I wanted to see what Clan life was like. I tried joining one a few moons ago, but they chased me away and threatened to even kill me if I crossed their border again. Ravenflight offered me a place in this Clan, an offer that I couldn't refuse."

Shame crawled through Nightpaw once again. She wondered which Clan had chased Shadepelt out. It must have been BoulderClan. They were always more violent than the other Clans, as far as Nightpaw had discovered.

"Thank you, for helping me," Nightpaw sighed. Shadepelt nodded and sat down beside her. It was already getting late out, and exhaustion started creeping over Nightpaw.

"Get some rest," she murmured. "I'll make sure no one disturbs you, tonight."

Once again, Nightpaw mewed her thanks before drifting off into an uncomfortable slumber. She could only hope that she wasn't RogueClan's prisoner for too long.

...

Determination was what kept Stormpaw going. He was more than determined to find his sister and bring her back safely. What he didn't expect was to find Willowshade following him. The light gray she-cat had a look of irritation in her eyes as she bounded after him.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to go after them?" she demanded after catching her breath. Stormpaw didn't stop. He crept through the thick undergrowth, ignoring the ferns that tickled his underbelly. "They're going to kill you, if they don't torture you first," she hissed through gritted teeth.

"I don't care!" he spat. Suddenly he stopped and turned to glare at her. Willowshade stopped in her tracks, eyes wide as he stood his ground. "She's in danger because of me, and I want to make sure that she doesn't get hurt."

Willowshade looked at him in surprise. Then understanding lit in her eyes.

"I think I get it," she murmured. "You and I have a lot in common." She paused and gave her paw a lick before going on, "But there is one difference between us: I still care about my Clan. Whatever you plan on doing to these rogues, it's going to fail miserably."

Anger churned within him. Willowshade sounded like she was trying to reason with him. But all that mattered was making sure that Nightpaw was safe. She truly was the only family he had left. He would never consider Ravenflight as his real mother.

"No," he snapped, raising his chin at her defiantly. "I'm going to find her, no matter what it takes."

The light gray she-cat's tail flicked irritably. "Will you stop acting like a kit?" she demanded, letting her fur bristle slightly. "Think about how this will effect the Clan. What do you think they're going to do if something happens to you?"

Stormpaw was ready to lash out at her with frustration. Why was she acting like such an irritating furball? It wasn't like they had ever enjoyed each others company. If anything, Willowshade still hate him with every fiber in her. Yet she was trying to keep him from risking his own life to save Nightpaw's.

"Since when have you ever cared about us?" he nearly yowled. Willowshade flinched, much to his surprise. Good, maybe this wold be enough to knock some sense into her head. "All you've ever done is criticize us, and have me banished for something I didn't even do! You should be grateful I'm willing to die for my own sister."

He turned and left her standing there, mouth gaped open and everything. The sight was an amusing one, but he didn't have much time to enjoy it. Any second spent out here was one less he had to find Nightpaw.

"Wait!" Her shout made him stop once again, pelt bristling slightly in annoyance. He kept his ears flattened as he turned towards her again. "Okay, I've never been able to get this off my chest..." She paused and looked at Stormpaw seriously. "To be honest, I was jealous when we first met." Stormpaw looked at her in disbelief, but she went on, "I thought you guys worked great together, and were always happy, even though you didn't have a typical family. I'm not even sure why that made me jealous."

Stormpaw couldn't help but stare at her in shock. Why would anyone be jealous of him? All he had ever done was fumble around and make mistakes. He desperately wished there was a better way of understanding why she acted the way she did.

"Yeah, that's a fine and dandy excuse," he muttered with a roll of his eyes. "But that isn't going to stop me from helping Nightpaw."

He bounded away before Willowshade could say anything else. If anything happened to Nightpaw, he would never forgive himself. He needed to find her before things went from bad to worse.

* * *

 **AN: I am so sorry for not updating in over a month D: And for the shortness of this chapter! It took a while for me to get back into the groove of this story, especially since I've been working on another story. Hopefully readers are still interested, otherwise I'm not sure when the next update will be...**

 **QOTD: How do you think this is going to end? I'm just curious ;)**

 **Snowfall16 - I love the Wii! Unfortunately I had to give mine back to my sister, who always seems to get everything she wants . But I am planning on getting a Wii U eventually, so I guess that makes up for it. And hopefully that won't be the case, but I might just use that idea :P**

 **Feraa - I sort of agree with you on that one... they don't have as many games out there that I'm interested in. But the newest Kingdom Hearts game is coming out, so that's something to look forward to :D**

 **writer s.k - Thanks!**

 **ilovewarriorcats - I'll see what I can do, but I'm not making any promises :P Stormpaw will be getting his name when the right time comes. You'll find out soon though, hopefully :)**


	23. Twenty Three: Search for Nightpaw

**Chapter Twenty Three – Search for Nightpaw**

"Get up." A low growl sounded, causing Nightpaw to open her eyes and glare at the speaker in question. The cat standing over her was a huge dark red tabby tom with green eyes. His glare sent shivers through her. She had an eerie feeling that she already knew what he would do to her.

"Redfang, stop this!" Nightpaw held back a sigh of relief when she heard Shadepelt's voice. The black she-cat had been more than kind to her since she arrived, and she didn't want that to change. But Redfang seemed oblivious to the authority in Shadepelt's mew. Instead he suddenly shoved her aside and stalked closer to Nightpaw.

"Get up, now," he snarled, grabbing Nightpaw roughly by the scruff. She held back a cry of pain at the sudden impact, reeling in shock as her wounds started to open again. "Ravenflight has told me that you need proper training, and punishment," he added with a gleam in his eyes.

Nightpaw stared at Redfang in horror. She knew how cruel Ravenflight was now. That her own mother was doing this to her only made things even worse. She hadn't spoken to anyone else other than Shadepelt, but she knew that sooner or later Ravenflight would attack her.

 _I wish there was a way out of this_ , she thought bitterly. It seemed that ending her life might actually prove more useful than living on. Yet a small voice in her mind told her that she should keep fighting back. That giving up was a coward's way out.

She followed Redfang towards a dusty clearing where several other cats were waiting. Nightpaw's ears flattened when she caught sight of Ravenflight sitting on a pile of garbage. Strikestar sat beside her, tail flicking with interest as he watched her. Nightpaw's stomach twisted in disgust. How could Ravenflight have allowed such a cruel cat into her life? How could she have become so cruel herself? None of it made any sense.

"There are some things in this world that we just don't understand," Strikestar began as more cats pressed forward to hear what he was saying. "We are destined to rule the forest, and yet for seasons we have been denied that destiny. Well, no longer will that happen." Yowls of agreement followed his words, and a shiver ran through Nightpaw. "I have seen how weak the Clans are. And we have made the sacrifice necessary to gain power over them. It is time we used what they have cared for against them!"

Nightpaw only found herself glaring at Strikestar in response. The Clans could care less about her. After all, she was just another rogue to them. Determination gleamed in Strikestar's eyes though. Nightpaw knew that one way or another, he would get his way. She just had a feeling things wouldn't work out the way he was expecting.

"We will begin by sacrificing one of their own," Ravenflight mewed, looking down at Nightpaw with a gleam in her eyes. Nightpaw gaped at her mother; how could Ravenflight be so treacherous? To kill an innocent apprentice without any mercy was just plain cruel. Then again she probably was responsible for Cricketpaw's death.

Nightpaw braced herself for the pain that would likely follow. Ravenflight had bunched her muscles together when a yowl sounded from the distance. Wariness washed over Nightpaw when she saw a golden brown tabby she-cat streaking towards the group, pelt ruffled with outrage.

"Two cats were spotted just beyond our territory," she explained, gasping for breath as Strikestar looked at her expectantly.

For the first time, a sense of hope washed over Nightpaw. Maybe these cats were from the Clans. Then she reminded herself that if they were, they wouldn't be in any hurry to rescue her. In fact, they were probably on their way to congratulate the rogues.

"What did they look like?" Ravenflight demanded, taking a step forward from her position.

"One was a dark gray tom, had amber eyes. The other was a light gray she-cat with blue eyes... their stink smelled like ForestClan," the golden she-cat explained.

 _Stormpaw, what are you doing_? Nightpaw wondered, realizing the description matched her brothers, and Willowshade's.

Ravenflight glanced at her campmates warily before flicking her tail to Strikestar. He didn't waste any time in showing his authority as he bared his teeth at Nightpaw.

"It appears as though we're in for a family reunion," he sneered before lashing his tail at three cats in the group. "Find them, and bring them here. But kill the she-cat."

A shiver ran through Nightpaw at the cold realization of what they were planning on doing. She couldn't let them kill Willowshade. Even if the she-cat had always been cruel to them, Willowshade was still loyal to her Clan.

...

Stormpaw glanced over his shoulder, ignoring the fact that Willowshade was chasing after him. Speed and luck were on his side though. Ferns whipped past his face as he finally reached the edge of the forest, back to where it had all started. Willowshade finally came to a halt and stood beside him, their pelts almost touching.

"Look, we don't know how many rogues are living with Strike," Willowshade told him. "Going in there blindly is only going to risk your life, along with the lives of everyone in the Clans."

"You're a fully trained warrior, Nightpaw had warrior training, and I'm almost a warrior," Stormpaw snapped, anger getting the better of him. "I'm going no matter what."

Willowshade only shook her head in frustration. She bounded after him as he followed the path the rogues had taken. Fortunately it didn't take them long to reach the alleyway where the rogues were hiding. Stormpaw narrowed his eyes as he picked up a familiar stench.

He'd come across these rogues before when he was living on his own. They were nothing more than bullies who picked on those who couldn't defend themselves. Luckily they were easy to take care of if one knew how to. Stormpaw had to defend his territory in the park until Flarepaw came around.

"There they are," Willowshade whispered as she stood beside him. Stormpaw flinched when he realized their pelts were touching.

He nodded to where she was looking. Sure enough, a group of rogues were gathered in the alley. Some of them looked badly injured while others had the appearance of fully trained warriors. A shiver ran through Stormpaw as he wondered where they were keeping Nightpaw.

"I'm tired of all this waiting," one cat muttered as he stalked across the clearing. The stench of crowfood was almost overwhelming, Stormpaw tried not to flinch at it once again as more and more cats became visible.

"You know Strikestar, he is just biding his time," a dark gray tabby tom growled. "He wants the Clans to snap under the pressure. Once they do, they'll make easy targets."

A shiver ran through Stormpaw. Strikestar was planning an attack, but obviously it wasn't anytime soon. He exchanged a look with Willowshade as worry washed over him. There were clearly more cats here than he'd expected.

"Well, I'm tired of feeding that Clan rat," another voice snapped. Stormpaw held back a hiss of fury as he realized they were talking about Nightpaw. "All it does is complain all day, and to make things worse, it's got our healer all worked up."

 _Healer... does he mean a medicine cat_? Stormpaw tilted his head to one side in confusion.

"Come on," Willowshade hissed under her breath.

Stormpaw glanced at her in surprise before following her through the undergrowth. It wasn't long before the alleyway opened up into a large forest clearing. Stormpaw's eyes widened when he realized just how big this stretch of area was. Strikestar didn't need to expand his territory, there were plenty of hunting spots here already. But selfishness and greed probably got the better of him. Either way, Stormpaw had a feeling that things were about to get from bad to worse for the Clans.

His eyes widened when he spotted what looked like a makeshift den of blankets and rags nearby. That had to be the healer's den. Or Strikestar's. It was more likely the leader would choose the most comfortable nest possible, and give everyone else the worst living space possible. Stormpaw glanced over his shoulder and saw that Willowshade's eyes were narrowed with hate. Her hackles were raised as she leaned forward, muzzle shifting in the beginnings of a snarl.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, keeping his voice quiet. Willowshade didn't answer. Suddenly she lunged forward into the nest of rags and blankets. Stormpaw stopped himself in shock as she dragged out the cat in question. A small golden brown tabby she-cat writhed underneath Willowshade as she was carried without warning to the edge of the clearing. "What happened to keeping a low profile?" Stormpaw demanded as he bounded forward to join them. Willowshade dropped the golden she-cat at her paws, annoyance and rage flashing in her blue eyes.

"This cat should know where Nightpaw is, and who was responsible for killing my mother," she spat, glaring at the golden she-cat after explaining her reasons.

Stormpaw looked at her in disbelief, remembering how bitter she was about her mother's death. He remembered all too clearly that the rogues had used her for some sort of sacrifice. It was the same sacrifice they had used Cricketpaw in, for whatever reasons.

"Please, don't hurt me!" the she-cat wailed, terror showing in her amber eyes. "I know where Nightpaw is, but I don't know anything about your mother!" Stormpaw noticed for the first time just how young this she-cat was. It was obvious she wasn't more than seven moons old just judging by her appearance. "Please, let me up and I can take you to where they're keeping Nightpaw."

"Why would you want to help us?" Stormpaw demanded.

"Nightpaw is my friend too," the she-cat explained. "I was trying to help heal her wounds when they carried her away. She's hurt, and I couldn't defend her." Anguish sounded in her voice. For once, Stormpaw felt a sudden wave of sympathy crash down on him.

"Where would they take her?" he asked.

"To the alter," the she-cat whispered. "They are going to use her as a sacrifice."

Horror surged through Stormpaw when she said that. He exchanged a look with Willowshade before realizing that they might already be too late. Those rogues from earlier had mentioned something about an event happening later tonight.

"We have to save her," he snapped. "Let her go, she can take us."

"Or she can lead us to a trap," Willowshade growled. "What if she's telling us nothing but lies?"

Stormpaw looked at the she-cat warily. She didn't look like anyone who could like about something like this. The terror in her eyes was obvious. He knew that she was telling the truth; whether Willowshade refused to believe that or not was up to her.

"Okay, take us to them," he decided before Willowshade could do or say anything else. She gaped at Stormpaw in surprise, but he didn't bother explaining his motives. Finding Nightpaw was more important to him now than anything else. He would gladly give his own life to defend her if it came to that, along with the rest of the Clan.

* * *

 **AN: So, I must apologize for my lack of updates... I've been busy working, updating I Promise and everything else sort of got in the way. The next chapter hopefully won't take much longer to update, but I can't make any promises (ironic, isn't it? :P)**

 **QOTD: So, any ideas what might happen to Nightpaw now? I just love building up the suspense ;)**

 **Snowfall16 - Haha, I know, it's been too long since my last update. I apologize for that, again. You know how life can be XD And you might or might not be right about both answers... I like to make my readers guess what will happen next. Nightpaw definitely won't die, I can tell you that, and neither will Stormpaw... but someone will, and I won't say who :P**

 **SnowBreeze - Thank you for reviewing all those chapters! Stormpaw's father shall remain a mystery until the bitter end :P**


	24. Twenty Four: Rescue

**Chapter Twenty Four – Rescue**

Clouds were beginning to cover the moon when the three of them reached their destination. The golden brown she-cat had been more than cooperative. In fact, she was terrified. Stormpaw almost felt sorry for her. Clearly she wasn't cut out to be one of Ravenflight's followers, not if she acted this way. Stormpaw just wanted to find his sister now more than ever. With the clouds covering the moon, it made their attack on RogueClan slightly easier. At least that was his hope.

Finally they had reached the place where Nightpaw had been taken. The golden brown she-cat's ears flattened at the stench of smoke in the air. Stormpaw hadn't missed it either, and his hackles rose with horror when he realized what they were about to do. This was exactly how he had found Cricketpaw, with the stench of fire and her being part of their sacrifice. And whether he liked to admit it or not, the same thing had happened to Willowshade's mother.

Stormpaw took one step forward and saw a group of cats sitting around what appeared to be a contained fire. He was amazed that Strikestar had figured out how to keep it from spreading. Or how Strikestar had even learned to start a fire for that matter. Whatever those reasons, Stormpaw knew that he would need to act fast.

"Cats of RogueClan!" Strikestar began as the loud chatter had died down. "Tonight, we are to perform our final ritual. To earn our place among the stars, we must take a life. A life that is precious to them, and the Clans. Once we have completed our ritual, we will be one with the forest."

 _No, they can't possibly believe that's true_ , Stormpaw tried telling himself. But their yowls of triumph and victory told him otherwise. These cats weren't afraid to hut others just to get what they wanted. Even if they still lost in the end, others would suffer from their selfish desires. Stormpaw exchanged a horrified look with Willowshade before surging forward. She couldn't stop him even if she wanted to. He wasn't going to let Strikestar get away with this madness.

Cats were jostled from their positions in shock when Stormpaw pushed his way through the crowd. He didn't care if any of them hurt him in the process. Saving Nightpaw was all that mattered now. His sister was all he had left. Ravenflight, she had abandoned them and didn't even care if one of them was killed.

"What madness is this?" A big dark red tabby tom was standing up as Stormpaw approached Strikestar and Ravenflight. "Strikestar, the intruder—"

He didn't get a chance to finish. Faster than anyone could react, Willowshade leaped into the crowd and tackled him to the ground. Despite her smaller size, Willowshade had the advantage of surprise on her side. She wasted no time in pressing a claw against his throat, causing everyone to back away fearfully.

"Well, I see that we have uninvited guests," Strikestar sneered. "Come to watch the show, have we?" Strikestar gestured to a spot in the middle of the crowd. Stormpaw followed his gaze and stared at Nightpaw, whose eyes widened in disbelief. "I do believe we still have a sacrifice to make," he added, his voice dangerously low.

"You're nothing but a coward if you think sacrificing others will help," Stormpaw spat. "All this is doing is turning you and your... group of _rogues_ into monsters."

Strikestar narrowed his eyes and suddenly stood up. For a moment Stormpaw was actually intimidated. Strikestar was _huge_ compared to him. The muscles and scars were really what had thrown Stormpaw off the most. He tried to keep his chin held high as he met Strikestar's piercing gaze.

"We were called monsters long before this began," Strikestar snapped. "The Clans so eloquently thought we lived up to their reputations. I have only decided to make it so. They deserve to suffer for what they have done to us."

"By killing innocent queens? Kits, apprentices and even elders?" Stormpaw retorted. "You just love the taste of blood, don't you?"

"On the contrary, I find the taste of blood very alluring," Strikestar hissed. He turned his gaze towards the shivering Nightpaw, than flicked his tail at Ravenflight. "Restrain him, please."

Stormpaw barely heard the order when he suddenly felt claws on his shoulders. He held back a cry of pain when he realized Ravenflight was holding him down. Despite his best efforts to struggle free, Ravenflight kept a firm grip on him. He tried to find where Willowshade was, but she had disappeared into the crowd.

"Now... where were we?" Strikestar purred silkily as he circled Nightpaw and the flames.

"Wait!" Strikestar stopped in place and narrowed his eyes once again. Stormpaw managed to look over his shoulder, and gaped when he saw Willowshade standing over the body of the big red tabby. "You don't want to waste your time with her," Willowshade explained. "Who was the one who taught you all about this ritual? Who was the one who said that only strong Clan blood can make _you_ stronger?"

Stormpaw felt Ravenflight tense. Something had registered in the back of her mind. The black she-cat had released her grip on him and was now stalking towards Willowshade. Willowshade didn't even flinch when they stood fox-lengths apart.

"S-She does have a point," the golden brown she-cat from earlier suddenly spoke up. "D-Didn't you say that the bigger the sacrifice, the more rewards we get?"

Strikestar looked at both cats thoughtfully for what felt like hours. A shiver ran through Stormpaw when he realized who they were implying. Ravenflight would be sacrificed if Strikestar so decided. And that was what had driven her fear and hatred for Willowshade.

"Very well," Strikestar said after a few more heartbeats of silence had followed. "Bring her to me, and release these three useless furballs."

Relief washed over Stormpaw's shoulders when Nightpaw rushed over to his side. He didn't bother watching as the rogues turned on Ravenflight and dragged her over to the fiery pit. Nightpaw buried her muzzle into his shoulder at the screams that followed.

"You're free to go," the golden-brown she-cat murmured. "Please, take care of yourselves."

They didn't need to be told twice to get out. Stormpaw helped guide Nightpaw away from the rogues while Willowshade stayed behind them, making sure that no rogues followed. The moment they were out of that place Stormpaw felt his chest heave with relief. He didn't realize how tense the situation was until they left.

"She's gone," Nightpaw whispered as she leaned against Stormpaw's shoulder.

"But he isn't," Stormpaw muttered crossly. "We still have to stop Strikestar before he hurts anyone else."

 _I just hope that we actually can stop him_ , Stormpaw added silently.

...

The journey back to ForestClan was long and painful. Nightpaw still hadn't fully recovered from her injuries. Stormpaw had kept close to her during the journey, and she was thankful for his support. She never realized just how much they relied on each other until now. Having him by her side only reminded her of all the hardships they had endured over the moons. From living on their own as kits, to surviving life in the Clans as apprentices.

 _How long will that friendship last_? she wondered bitterly. Stormpaw was so different from her. Yet he was also protective, so much so that he was willing to give his life to keep her safe. She didn't want him to hurt himself just because she had made a stupid mistake. And Willowshade, she had gone with him to help. What motives did she have to help them? All she ever did was insult them when they first joined the Clan.

Nightpaw only shook her head in confusion when they finally got back to camp. The familiar scents sent thrills of relief through her. She hadn't realized until now how much she missed being here. At least she knew the forest was safe from the rogues. The camp was well protected with it's barriers of trees and bushes.

"Stormpaw, Willowshade, where have you been?" Ryewhisker was standing guard. His eyes widened when he saw Nightpaw standing between them. "Nightpaw! How did you—" Stormpaw cut him off before he could ask what had happened.

"We need to talk with Leafstar," Stormpaw snapped. "Can you bring her?"

Ryewhisker eyed Stormpaw in surprise before nodding and turning to Leafstar's den. Nightpaw looked at her brother warily, surprised by his sudden change in attitude. He'd gotten a lot snappier than she remembered. Heartbeats later and Ryewhisker returned with Leafstar at his side, looking a bit irritated by having been woken up.

"Stormpaw, Willowshade, what are you doing out so late?" Leafstar demanded, but then she stopped at the sight of Nightpaw.

"Leafstar, the rogues are using cats as some sort of sacrifice ritual," Stormpaw explained, wasting no time in telling Leafstar what had happened to them. The dark brown tabby's eyes widened in horror when she realized just how cruel Strikestar really was. "I'm guessing that's what happened to your mother," he added to Willowshade, his voice suddenly softer.

It was hard to imagine what Willowshade must be feeling. Nightpaw suspected that she was still suffering from her mother's death. She had never forgiven the rogues for what had happened. And she had every right to feel such emotions. Nightpaw understood what it was like to go through something like that.

"Ravenflight is dead, and I'm guessing Strikestar is planning his attack soon," Stormpaw added when Leafstar didn't speak. "The only way we're going to stop him is by uniting the Clans. He's going to attack them one by one, when they're at their weakest."

"I am calling for a Clan meeting tomorrow," Leafstar sighed after giving his explanation some thought. "We need to decide what to do about this." Stormpaw only nodded in response, looking slightly relieved that she had said anything at all. "For now, you three need to get some rest. And Nightpaw." Nightpaw looked at Leafstar in surprise, "I am sorry, for not going out to rescue you myself. It was too much of a risk."

Nightpaw simply nodded in understanding. "I wasn't expecting anyone to rescue me," she murmured.

Leafstar looked like she wanted to say something else, but thought better of it. Instead she clamped her mouth shut and returned to her den. Nightpaw limped over to the medicine cat's den, her wounds still bothering her. Stormpaw had returned to the apprentice's den while Willowshade stood beside Ryewhisker. For once, Nightpaw was grateful to be back in the Clan.

* * *

 **AN: *Sigh* Again with the short chapters, I really can't help myself. But I wanted to get this updated... So, onto review replies, and the QOTD :)**

 **QOTD: What warrior name do you think Stormpaw will get? (I've already got one in mind...)**

 **LunaNight9 - Yeah, sorry for the wait. I know it's only been almost a week, but it feels like it's been forever XD**

 **ForgottenPeace - Indeed it does, and thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it so much :)**

 **badguthrie - Thanks :D**

 **crystal-of-D.A.-11 - lol I actually do ship them together. At first I wasn't planning it, but things changed XD And I'm glad that you're enjoying this so much... for some reason writing out one's emotions has always been easier for me. I'm not even sure why /: But you're more than welcome to use my ideas, I'm glad someone found inspiration in them!**

 **Snowfall16 - XD Thanks :) It's okay, I know the feeling. I've been busy watching AAOU and Jurassic World... and listening to so many new albums. Yeah, the last chapter was definitely more of a transition. And hopefully this chapter was just as good, I feel like I might have missed out on something, but I'm not sure...**


End file.
